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Chapter 4

PC bookCosmogenesis and the Female Metaphor

Charlene Spretnak has noted that:

When a woman raised in patriarchal culture … immerses herself in sacred space where various manifestations of the Goddess bring forth the Earthbody from the spinning void … She will body the myth with her own totemic being. She is the cosmic form of waxing, fullness, waning: virgin, mature creator, wise crone. She cannot be negated ever again. Her roots are too deep – and they are everywhere1.

I propose that this may be true also for a man, who immerses himself in sacred space where various manifestations of Goddess bring forth Earthbody, where he may body the myth, the story, with his own totemic being, for She – the Female Metaphor – is the cosmic form of waxing, fullness and waning: a Dynamic that is everywhere, omnipresent. Brian Swimme has affirmed that “when he had reflected and meditated on the pre-Hellenic myths until he ‘became filled with a myth2’”, that his thinking about “natural phenomena and the entire universe were qualitatively different” from for instance, a “patriarchal, industrialized, competitive … frame of reference.” His experience led him to conclude that the myths had a very deep biological basis, that could alter our relationship to the universe, and thus the universe itself, if we allowed ourselves to be filled with them3.

Swimme and Berry have noted often in their reflections on the story of the unfolding Universe, that Western industrialized peoples have become dissociated from, or autistic to, the Earth community and the Cosmos. Berry has suggested that the only effective restoration of a viable mode of human presence on the planet is through a renewal of human intimacy “with the great cosmic liturgy of the natural world4.” He suggests that the coordination of ritual celebrations with the transformation moments of the natural world – such as the “entrancing sequence” of the seasons – gives promise of a future “with the understanding, the power, the aesthetic grandeur, and the emotional fulfillment needed5.” He suggests that such are the “entrancing qualities needed to endure the difficulties to be encountered and to evoke the creativity needed6.” Berry believes that although we – the human and the entire planet – are in a moment of dangerous transition to a new era, a moment of significance far beyond our imagination, that we are “not lacking in the dynamic forces needed to create the future”, that we need only invoke the abundant sea of energy in which we are immersed7.

If the Universe is understood to be “a single, multiform celebratory expression” as Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme affirm in their cosmic story, then we are the very Dynamics of Creativity, and only need to invoke these powers – these “originating powers” that permeate “every drop of existence8”. As Charlene Spretnak affirms in States of Grace,

we exist as participants in the greatest ritual: the cosmic ceremony of seasonal and diurnal rhythms framing epochal dramas of becoming …

and further,

When people gather in a group to create ritual, they form a unitive body, a microcosmos of differentiation, subjectivity and deep communion9.

We may with practice – of a religious kind, as in a connecting kind – embody consciously, and grow into, our Earthly and Cosmic nature. This microcosmos – that we each are and that we may collectively express – of differentiation, subjectivity10 and communion are three faces of Gaia’s Cosmic method of Creativity, used everyday on planet Earth and throughout time and space in Her ever-transforming Cosmogenesis. In my Poetic Search, as I will describe in this chapter, I have associated these three faces of Cosmogenesis with the three faces of the Female Metaphor – the three faces that the ancients noticed reiterated all around them. The dynamic was everywhere as I will describe, and the ancients – scientists in their observation of the world, of which they felt a part, noticed its dimensions.

Gaia’s Creative Dynamics

The Moon was a sliver of light when She first appeared out of darkness, She waxed from there into fullness, and then waned to a sliver in the opposite direction, before disappearing into the darkness from whence She came. It was noticed by the women and perhaps some of the men, that the female body cycled with the Moon, waxing into desire and fertility, and waning into menstrual loss. All the body cycles repeated these faces: there was hunger, there was satiation, there was elimination. There was the urge to breathe, it waxed into fullness, there was the need to release – back into the emptiness from whence another could arise. The buds of flowers blossomed into fullness, then lost their petals, revealing seed pods from whence to begin again. The buds of leaves burgeoned out of dead looking branches, unfurled into greenery, then dropped away. Everywhere on the globe, on a daily basis, light emerged out of darkness – at dawn, waxed into the fullness of noon, then declined back into darkness. On an annual basis, the Sun’s light emerged out of the darkness of Winter, waxed into fullness at Summer, then declined back into darkness.

The darkness itself each day, was understood as an equal part the “day” – a “day” was not only the light part. We have to speak of it today as the “diurnal” day, to recall the sense that the dark part was included. It may have even been the main part – the basis of measuring time. The darkness was a time for rest, perhaps relief from the heat, perhaps a time to seek comfort from the cold – but almost always felt keenly as a time of dreams, perception of subtleties not so noticeable in the world of light. And the darkness of the sky was sprinkled with pinpoints of light in which the ancients could imagine their own forms and those of creatures: the night sky told stories. When the ancients created their own pinpoints of light – made fire, they told their own stories as well. This darkness of the diurnal day was fertile with life, a different kind of life. So too then, the death of the human must be a journey, like a long sleep, or an entry into a different kind of life. The plants grew above the Earth in the light, but the seeds sprouted in the dark, and emerged from there, and remained rooted in the dark to whence the plants would return. The darkness was understood to be the place of beginning – all things appeared to begin there – the womb, the Earth, the dead looking branch, the emptiness before a breath. Today Western science also suggests that the Universe itself seems to be mostly a sea of Dark Matter, out of which all emerges.

The triple dynamic as a whole, complexifies in the web of Life – the Universe itself is a display of these “primordial orderings” as Swimme and Berry describe them – and “the very existence of the universe rests on the power of these orderings”, which govern the universe’s arising “spontaneities11”. Swimme and Berry state that “enshrined in the Cosmogenetic Principle, is that in this universe there are entirely natural powers of form production that, when given the proper conditions, will create galaxies12.” Swimme and Berry name the three aspects/themes of Cosmogenesis as differentiation, communion and autopoeisis, yet with the understanding that each face/feature really defies pinning down to “any simple one-line univocal definition13.” Swimme and Berry supply a list of perceived synonyms for each, that do indeed overlap in their definitions, though each remains a distinguishable dynamic of cosmic evolution. Those synonyms are: for differentiation – “diversity, complexity, variation, disparity, multiform nature, heterogeneity, articulation”; for communion – “interrelatedness, interdependence, kinship, mutuality, internal relatedness, reciprocity, complementarity, interconnectivity and affiliation”; and for autopoeisis – “subjectivity, self-manifestation, sentience, self-organization, dynamic centres of experience, presence, identity, inner principle of being, voice, interiority14.” Swimme and Berry assume that “these three will undoubtedly be deepened and altered in the next era as future experience expands our present understanding15.”

This complexity and “fuzziness” of the terms for the evolutionary cosmic dynamics is mirrored in the metaphor of the Triple Goddess. “Fuzziness” is a term used by scientist and philosopher Vladimir Dimitrov, who describes that:

According to fuzzy set theory, the meaning of words cannot be precisely defined – each linguistic construct in use can be described by a set of ‘degrees of freedom’, i.e. ways of understanding (interpretation, transformation into actions) by (individuals or groups16.

And so it is for these names of the faces of the Female Metaphor. Each face has a name and distinguishable qualities, and each face can be so suitably simplified, celebrated, mythologized and embodied – absorbed and understood in a Poetic way – enabling a creative alignment of the self and/or the collective, with this Gaian Power; yet each face is “impregnated with virtual meaning that provide space for extension, elaboration and negotiation …” as Dimitrov describes in reference to “fuzzy concepts17”. Just so, is each embodied face of the Female Metaphor – a deep dynamic, a “primordial ordering” of being.
Adam McLean, a researcher who has spent much time studying and meditating upon the Triple Goddess, describes relationship/alignment with Her as releasing “such a powerful current of creative energy as few have ever experienced18.” He contends that She “remains a key to unlocking the store of ancient energies and spiritual wisdom” bound up within19. He speaks of the complexity of her guises, how She challenges our usual thinking with seeming contradictions and inconsistencies, yet he senses that She holds within Her all polarities – an integration of being that seems necessary for the “spiritual energies of the future” as he describes20.

The Three Faces of Cosmogenesis Developed

Describing differentiation, which I associate with the Virgin aspect – the Urge to Be, passionate love of every individual self, Swimme and Berry say,

From the articulated energy constellations we call the elementary particles and atomic beings, through the radiant structures of the animate world, to the complexities of the galaxy with its planetary systems, we find a universe of unending diversity… The more intimately we become acquainted with anything, the clearer our recognition of its differences from everything else… There has never been a time when the universe did not seek further differentiation. In the beginning all the particles interacted with each other with minimal distinction. But with the cosmic symmetry breaking, four branches of interactions differentiated from each other. From the thermal equilibrium of the fireball the universe sprouted into a universe differentiated by galaxies, with no two galaxies identical21.

Swimme and Berry note that although it is the endeavour of science to refer to the way in which structures are similar – stars, atoms, cells or society – the more deeply we come to know a thing – the Milky Way, the fall of Rome, the species on a particular tree in a rainforest – the more deeply we perceive its “ineffable uniqueness”. They note then that not only is each thing new and different, but that the dynamics of relationship between the new structures are qualitatively and quantitatively different. They add that,

This diversity of relatedness pertains to human knowing as well – knowledge represents a particular relationship we establish in the world … An integral relationship with the universe’s differentiated energy constellations requires a multivalent understanding that includes a full spectrum of modes of knowing22.

They find that when the thirteen point seven billion year epic of the Universe’s unfolding is viewed as a whole, with its extravagant creative outpouring, there is the revelation of the uniqueness of the creativity of each place and time, and the existence of each being.

My own Poetic translation of Swimme and Berry’s expressions regarding Cosmogenesis proceeds in the following way. When they say that the universe “at each instant has re-created itself anew”, and that this seemingly infinite power “speaks of an inexhaustible fecundity at the root of reality23”, I imagine it in “Goddess-speak”. That is, “the Virgin dynamic of unique beauty expressed and celebrated in early Spring, has layered within, the fertility that is expressed and celebrated in High Spring (Beltane), as She changes into the Mother dynamic of Summer, whose fertility rests in the Dark Interiority of the Old One expressed and celebrated particularly in Deep Autumn (Samhain).” This translation of mine is kin to William Irwin Thompson’s translation of Lyn Margulis’ description of her study of bacteria: he says that when he saw her film about bacteria, his thoughts “on the relationship between myth and science took a jump forward” as he began to understand what his Irish ancestors meant when they had spoken of “the little people” at work in the leaf mold at their feet24.

Even as Swimme and Berry define differentiation, the three aspects are constantly drawn into the equation, and again with this perception: “The multiform relatedness demanded by a differentiated universe rests upon the fact that each individual thing in the universe is ineffable25.” The sentience or interiority or presence of each unique thing/being evokes relatedness in mind-boggling complexity. To help one understand the way in which the aspects support each other, Swimme and Berry imagine:

Were there no differentiation, the universe would collapse into a homogenous smudge; were there no subjectivity, the universe would collapse into inert, dead extension; were there no communion, the universe would collapse into isolated singularities of being26.

Each aspect does not really exist without the others, yet each has its own integrity. In the case of the dynamic of differentiation, Swimme and Berry say that, to understand the Universe – the entire display – to get the full picture, we must understand the absolute freshness of each being and each moment.

Describing communion, which I associate with the Mother aspect – the sustaining, relating Context, the reciprocal Place of Being, the passionate pouring forth for other, Swimme and Berry say,

… relationship is the essence of existence. In the very first instant when the primitive particles rushed forth, every one of them was connected to every other one in the entire universe. At no time in the future existence of the universe would they ever arrive at a point of disconnection. Alienation for a particle is a theoretical impossibility. For galaxies too, relationships are the fact of existence. Each galaxy is directly connected to the hundred billion galaxies of the universe, and there will never come a time when a galaxy’s destiny does not involve each of the galaxies in the universe.

Nothing is itself without everything else. Our Sun emerged into being out of the creativity of so many millions of former beings. The elements of the floating presolar cloud had been created by former stars and by the primeval fireball … The patterns of nuclear resonances enabling stable nuclear burning was not the Sun’s invention – and yet all that followed depended upon this pattern of interconnectivity in which the Sun arose27.

So it is with any entity, with any being – we arise within a pattern of interconnectivity, the beneficiaries of the creativity of former beings, supported by everything that has gone before.

Swimme and Berry point out that a sense of relatedness is at the base of being, present even before a first interaction – that this is true in the earliest eras of the Universe’s unfolding at the quantum level of particles, present to each other in a direct and unmediated relationship; as well as in later eras as the biosphere of Earth unfolded. They give the example of an unborn grizzly bear, as being already related to the outside world in that she will not have to develop a taste for the foods bears eat, and she is already shaped for her environment and the survival tasks ahead of her; that is, we are already in relationship by the fact of our being – relationships then “are discovered, even more than they are forged28.”

Once again, in the process of defining the one aspect – this time communion – all three aspects are drawn into the equation. They say, “… the universe advances into community—into a differentiated web of relationships amongst sentient centers of creativity29.” As I noted in the last chapter, quoting storyteller Carolyn McVikar Edwards, the Nine Sisters who stir the Cauldron “represent the Holy Trinity of Maiden, Mother, and Crone, each able to manifest all three of Her selves30.” And so it is with the three faces of Cosmogenesis … as Swimme and Berry say: “These three features are themselves features of each other31.”

The eating of food is a communion experience – it enters into the being. It is also a dissolution and a breaking down, in which the food becomes something new – it gets trans-formed into activity, thought, emotions and ideas. Swimme says that “we eat an orange, and it gets turned into poetry32!” All three dynamics are present and cannot be separated. Mating rituals – in the human world or in the world of other creatures – are communion experiences. Swimme and Berry note that the desire for relationships of true intimacy is obvious in the music and dance of the world, and in the energy given to attracting relationship – revealing something of the ultimate meaning of reciprocal presence.

Describing autopoiesis, which I associate with the Crone aspect – the Return to the Dark Sentience, the Wisdom of the Ages within, a passionate commitment to transformation, Swimme and Berry say:

From autocatalyctic chemical processes to cells, from living bodies to galaxies, we find a universe filled with structures exhibiting self-organizing dynamics. The self that is referred to by autopoiesis is not visible to the eye. Only its effects can be discerned. … the unifying principle of an organism as a mode of being of the organism is integral with but distinct from the entire range of physical components of the organism. … Living beings and such ecosystems as the tropical forests or the coral reefs are the chief exemplars of self-organizing dynamics, but with the term autopoiesis we wish to point not just to living beings, but to self-organizing powers in general. Autopoeisis refers to the power each thing has to participate directly in the cosmos-creating endeavor. For instance, we have spoken of the autopoiesis of a star. The star organizes hydrogen and helium and produces elements and light. This ordering is the central activity of the star itself. That is, the star has a functioning self, a dynamic of organization centered within itself. …With such an understanding of the term, we can see that an atom is a self-organizing system as well. Each atom is a storm of ordered activity. … A galaxy, too, is an autopoietic system, organizing its stars into a nonequilibrium process and drawing forth new stars from its interstellar materials.

Autopoiesis points to the interior dimension of things. Even the simplest atom cannot be understood by considering only its physical structure or the outer world of external relationships with other things. Things emerge with an inner capacity for self-manifestation33.

Swimme and Berry put forth the question then about the sentience of the elemental realm,

… for we now realize that where Earth was once molten rock, it now fills its air with the songs of birds. And if humans bask in an astounding feeling for the universe, and the human arose from the elements, what can be said of the inner world of the elements34?

They answer this partly, implying innate sentience, by affirming the need “to preserve the continuity holding together an integral universe” and the need to “avoid regarding consciousness as an addendum or as an intrusion into reality35.” They do also allow for an apparent “discontinuity” which enables the universe to unfold through a sequence of transformations. Their interpretation is that the universe is “a place where qualities that will one day bloom are for the present hidden as dimensions of emptiness36” – rather like the Hopi realm of the “manifesting”. Swimme and Berry affirm that, the universe is a single “multiform energy event”, that “everything comes forth out of the intrinsic creativity of the universe” – a “latent hidden nothingness of being”, and they speak of the “potential sentience” in early elemental forms37. They say:

The rocks and water and air, just by being what they are, find themselves flowering forth with sentient beings. At the very least we can say that the future experience in a latent form is wrapped into the activity of rocks, for within the turbulence of molten magma, self-organizing powers are evoked that bring forth a new shape – animals capable of being racked with terror or stunned by awe of the very universe out of which they emerged38.

In a recent interview Brian Swimme gave a short version of the whole story of evolution: he said,

You take hydrogen gas, and you leave it alone, and it turns into rosebushes, giraffes, and humans.” He went on, “…The reason I like that version is that hydrogen gas is odorless and colorless, and in the prejudice of our Western civilization, we see it as just material stuff. There’s not much there. You just take hydrogen, leave it alone, and it turns into a human – that’s a pretty interesting bit of information. The point is that if humans are spiritual, then hydrogen’s spiritual. It’s an incredible opportunity to escape dualism—you know, spirit is up there; matter is down here. Actually, it’s different. You have the matter all the way through, and so you have the spirit all the way through39.

By “autopoeisis”, Swimme and Berry are pointing to an interior dimension of things. It seems to me that for them, this aspect/face seems sometimes overwhelmingly associated with the Great Mystery itself – much as I have at times overwhelmingly associated the Old/Dark One with Love itself (as mentioned in Chapter 3). Yet “autopoeisis” and the Old Dark One/Crone are both only meant to be an aspect of the whole Creative Dynamic, and so they are; perhaps in both cases, the emphasis on this aspect’s centrality to Creativity is partly compensatory, given the cultural denial of it40. Certainly though, it taps the central Creativity of the All-Nourishing Abyss in a dramatic way – whether it be in the collapse of a star, or in the death of a loved one. Vision and perhaps trust are needed to comprehend such destruction as creative – creative of a larger picture than is ours to hold. When “autopoeisis” is described as “an inner capacity for self-manifestation41”, the self that is being spoken of, is the self that at once belongs and “knows42” it belongs, to the Larger Self – which is the Source of the Passion to manifest and to organize.

Loren Eiseley refers to a mysterious organizing principle, without which life does not persist –
bq. yet this organization itself is not strictly the product of life, nor of selection. Like some dark and passing shadow within matter, it cups out the eyes’ small windows or spaces the meadow lark’s song in the interior of a mottled egg43.

He speaks of the manifest world as

an apparition from that mysterious shadow world beyond nature, that contains – if anything contains – the explanation of men (sic) and catfish and green leaves44.

This organizing principle that he perceives, is the One I identify with Swimme and Berry’s autopoiesis, and the ancient face of the Old Wise Dark One.

The Three Biological Shaping Powers and the Female Metaphor

Swimme and Berry note that biological life on planet Earth is shaped by “three fundamentally related, though distinct causes45”, and they reflect that these powers further illustrate the “root creativity” of the Universe that finds expression in the three faces of Cosmogenesis46. These three shaping powers of the biosphere, of life’s journey here on Earth, are genetic mutation, natural selection and conscious choice/niche creation. I in turn find in their descriptions of these three biological shaping powers, a further articulation of the nature of the three faces of the Female Metaphor.

Swimme and Berry find in genetic mutation a biological illustration of differentiation – it is this power of mutation that gives rise to genetic variation. They describe it as a “pressure toward the future within each moment (that includes) a pressure for uniqueness47”, and I have come to identify Virgin energy – the Urge To Be – this way. They describe this dynamic with various words such as chance, random, stochastic and error, finally summarizing the quality as wild – “ a great beauty that seethes with intelligence, that is ever surprising and refreshing48.” I associate such a description with the Virgin, particularly as She is celebrated at Beltane – High Spring. I came to call this “the Poetry of genetic creation”, which is an allusion to Thomas Berry’s seventh principle of a functional cosmology, where he is stating the significance of the genetic coding process for life’s expression and being49.

For Swimme and Berry, natural selection illustrates the dynamic of communion – it is this power that sculpts the diversity, crafts it. They describe natural selection as a

dynamic of interrelatedness … that presses, always and everywhere, for a deep intimacy of togetherness … (deep into) the very structure of genes, body, mind50.

Swimme and Berry describe natural selection as a communal reality – a bonding process – wherein a species engages in finding its place in a biophysical community, and this seems similar to David Abram’s understanding of it as a “reciprocal phenomenon51” – a dialogue or conversation between the organism and the environment. The conventional and popular notion of the environment being “fixed”, and to which the organism must conform was challenged by biologist Lyn Margulis in her groundbreaking research52. These descriptions of the flux between organism and Earth, as a co-creation of place, have deepened my understanding of the nature of the Mother face of the Female Metaphor – as the Place to Be; a Place that is a dynamic point of Interchange, a vibrant Reciprocity, that is celebrated particularly at the Winter and Summer Solstices. The Solstices are points of interchange between the light and the dark, the dark and the light, where one is seeded in the other. I came to call these Seasonal Moments, “Gateways” – places of Birth, either into form or into dissolution; they are points that celebrate life’s transitions of birth and death, the holy Moments of the annual cycle that celebrate the interchange between the biological self (a singularity, be it species or individual) and existence (All-That-Is).

Swimme and Berry describe the third biological shaping power of niche creation or conscious choice as a biological illustration of the Cosmogenetic dynamic of autopoiesis53. Ordinarily, scientific accounts do not give niche creation/conscious choice as much importance as the other two biological shaping powers, but Swimme and Berry argue for its equal inclusion saying that at points of major evolutionary change, conscious choice becomes the primary explanation for the change. They call for more recognition of the self-organizing dynamics within all life forms – “behavior that can be interpreted as manifestations of memory, of discernment concerning questions of temperature and nutrient concentration, of a basic irreducible intelligence54.” They express that even minimal powers of this kind have resulted in primal decisions on the part of organisms which have sent the biosphere into pathways forever characterized by those decisions. As a premise to their perception Swimme and Berry argue against the conventional notion of a “fixed environment” pointing out its limitations, stating rhetorically that a species always creates its own niche. They present the example of the horse and the bison who come from a common ancestor but are now very different forms of life – the different choices made by their primordial ancestors created two different worlds, with different selection pressures constellated for each, and these shaping the genetic diversity accordingly55. They describe this dynamic of niche creation as a felt “vision” or simple thrill wherein the creature responds to this inner attraction to pursue a particular path – much like the power of imagination draws the human. I associate this energy with the Crone, particularly as She is celebrated at Samhain – Deep Autumn, drawing forth the future, conceiving the new, from Her Dark Sentient Depths. In the human this imaginative power is sometimes simply felt, sometimes “seen”, always an act of will. I came to call this “the Poetry of trans-genetic creation” which is an allusion to Thomas Berry’s ninth principle of a functional cosmology, where he is stating the significance of human language – “cultural coding”.

Whitehead’s “Threefold Creative Composition”

Process philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead also perceived the Universe as including a composition of a “threefold creative act”. He describes these three as

(i) the one infinite conceptual realization, (ii) the multiple solidarity of free physical realizations in the temporal world, (iii) the ultimate unity of the multiplicity of actual fact with the primordial conceptual fact56.

I note some congruencies of this threefold composition with the Female Metaphor, as well as some points of departure. Whitehead conceives his first and the third aspects as having a unity, which is also true of the Virgin and Crone aspects of the Female Metaphor – the beginning and the end are barely distinguishable in their felt proximity to Source; the continuity of the “Urge to Return” and the “Urge to Be” may be more obvious than their continuity with the “Place of Being”. We are always returning to the Unity – it is integral with Life; and we are always being regenerated – reconceived: our bodyminds in a constant state of renewal, and both the Virgin and Crone energies inseparably allow this. We are part of some Great Cycle of Returning and Renewal, and the Manifest Reality – the Mother, the “physical realization” as Whitehead describes his second aspect – is the place of Communion. However Whitehead puts the first and third aspects “over against” the second aspect. He admits the power of the second aspect, as he describes that the “sheer force of things lies in the intermediate physical process: this is the energy of physical production57”, but his “God” is merely “patient” with it. Whitehead says that “God’s role … lies in the patient operation of the overpowering rationality of his conceptual harmonization58.” Whitehead’s point was that “God” did not create the world, that “he” was the poet of the world – leading it with “tender patience”, but the language that he uses invokes and indicates a remnant of dualistic thinking, as does his splitting of the “three-fold creative act” into this oppositional situation. The cosmology of the Female Metaphor has resonances with Whitehead’s philosophy, however he still speaks of a God as an entity as if external to creation, albeit at times also Creature and of “consequent nature” – that is, partly created by the world59.

Theologian Nancy Howell notes that Whitehead’s “philosophy of organism”, as she describes it, does provide a cosmology that radically differs from “dominant mechanistic and patriarchal worldviews”, thus providing support for the constructing of a promising feminist theory of relations, a feminist ecological cosmology60. She describes how Whitehead’s process philosophy has provided a “helpful conceptual framework” for the interpretation of women’s experiences based as it is in relational, organic thinking that is systemically inclusive of an infinite range of experience, and promotes a continuity of the human with the cosmos/nature. Howell notes that Whitehead’s philosophy promotes and reflects change, and enables the reinterpretation of many dualisms – subject/object, body/mind, reason/emotion, God/world61. Feminist theologians, for whom in general “God” remains an indelible metaphor, find the reinterpretation of the last mentioned dualism particularly hopeful. Howell describes that “the genius of Whitehead’s metaphysics” is that “God and the world” truly affect each other, create each other, receive from each other – are “truly in relation62”: Howell is thus confident that this metaphysics feeds “a feminist vision of mutuality”.

This helps clarify then that the cosmology I am describing in this book goes further than a “feminist vision of mutuality”. Howell still speaks of this “God” as a separate entity: to my mind this is still a “meta”-physics, not the “intra”-physics of the cosmogenetic dynamics of which I speak. Howell comes closest in her language to this “intra”-physics where she notes Rita Nakashima Brock’s metaphor of “God/dess as Heart, the present divine erotic power63”. Brock appears to have made the connection, the transition to an integral cosmology, where Whitehead’s metaphysics comes up short. As mythologist Joseph Campbell points out, “ ‘God’ is an ambiguous word in our language because it appears to refer to something that is known”; elaborating that “in religions where the god or creator is the mother, the whole world is her body. There is nowhere else64.”

The Spirochete as an Example of the Female Metaphor

The spirochete is a bacterium – one of the earliest forms of life on the planet. It is a prokaryote, a cell without a nucleus – of the kind that has been swimming around on Earth for four billion years, and with which Life proceeded to build further. The work of biologist Lyn Margulis on the earliest of life forms – bacteria – has been ground breaking and has changed the way Life may be perceived65. In her general theory of evolution, the spirochete – an ancient single rod bacterium that has neither head nor tail – is seen as the fundamental building block of life’s unfolding. Many other later developments of Life – such as axons attached to neurons, spermatozoa attached to ova – Margulis saw as “a variant of the biological architecture of the attachment of the spirochete to the larger cell of the protist66.” The spirochete, fundamental to the biosphere, moves randomly in a wave-like motion in its viscous aqueous medium seeking nutrition. William Irwin Thompson uses the spirochete to begin his story of the evolution of consciousness, and points out three factors associated with the spirochete dynamic – “the meat” or the rod of the spirochete, “the motion” or wavelike pattern, and “the waves it makes in its liquid medium by writhing in space67.” These three factors associate very well in themselves and in their developing complexity, with the evolutionary cosmic dynamics of Cosmogenesis and the Female Metaphor; at the simplest layer of perception, the materia/meat is the Mother, the wavelike motion of the materia is the Urge/Virgin, the waves created in the liquid that ripple out in search of nutrients are the Crone/the Transformer.

Further, Thompson notes that even at this level of biological development, we encounter the factor of “distinction” – between one end of the rod that may have found food and thus becomes still and “listens” and “sucks”, and the other end of the rod that may not have yet encountered a strong presence of food and continues to writhe68. I find this factor of distinction kin to the primary distinction of light and dark – manifest and unmanifest – which is a major distinction in the Female Metaphor, and celebrated in the Wheel of the Year. In the case of the spirochete, the emergent property of the distinction between one end’s activity and the other end’s stillness, is “directional motion”; in the case of the light and dark parts of the Metaphor, the emergent property is ongoing creativity.

All this fires my poetic imagination, as it did Thompson’s when he saw Lyn Margulis’ film of the bacteria69, although mine specifically sees the ancient Triple Metaphor and the triple-fold cosmic dynamics at play. A further development to the first simple layer of perception of the three distinct factors of the spirochete is this: within the materia/meat of the rod – the Mother – is another whole depth … which is Sentience/Crone, and with its own differentiated entities – Virgin. And the wave in the liquid – associated with the sentience/interiority of autopoeisis – is also a communion, and also establishes a new relationship. The motion itself – the Urge – can only exist in the materia, or at least can only be seen/manifest there. At this time in scientific research, its manifestation remains a mystery. The Urge to writhe responds to feedback or presence in the liquid medium, either in the form of nutrition or of other spirochetes – its flagellating movement comes into synchrony with others after a period.

There is the question of explaining the stilling and “listening” of one end. Contemporary science favours a chemical explanation, while Thompson’s “poetic imagination” entertains the theory that the stilling occurs when the spirochete receives back an echo/sonar wave from the “Other”, though he suggests it may be “an interesting interaction of the two on the membrane of the bacterium70.” My poetic imagination sees the Reciprocity between the unmanifest and the manifest – Dark and Light – as celebrated in the Wheel of the Year.

Beneath or within the form of the spirochete is another whole world, wherein the “microtubule” is the primary form, and the distinction is no longer the two states of writhing and stillness, and the emergent property is no longer directional motion, “but the single quantum state”, as Thompson describes. By shifting one’s threshold of perception, one may comprehend a different reality, ”an emergent property of coherence71”. So it is with the Metaphor, and Her embodiment in the seasonal cycle of light and dark, when one shifts one’s threshold of perception.

(c) Glenys Livingstone 2005

To buy the book PaGaian Cosmology:  Amazon or at Book Depository, or as an E-book at iUniverse, or donation for this work may be made in the sidebar. Thank you and blissings.

For a signed copy within Australia:  Buy Now Button  If you are in other lands, you may still buy a signed copy via PayPal by contacting Glenys  first – it’s just that postage is more, depending on where on Gaia you are exactly.

1 Charlene Spretnak, States of Grace, p.143.

2 Charlene Spretnak, Lost Goddesses of Early Greece, p.xvii.

3 Charlene Spretnak, Lost Goddesses of Early Greece, p.xvii.

4 Thomas Berry, The Great Work, p.19

5 Thomas Berry, The Great Work, p.18-20.

6 Thomas Berry, The Great Work, p.20.

7 Thomas Berry, The Great Work, p.175.

8 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.78.

9 Charlene Spretnak, States of Grace, p.145.

10 Swimme and Berry have at an earlier time, named the “autopoeisis” face of Cosmogenesis as “subjectivity”. By time they wrote The Universe Story they had changed the name to “autopoeisis”.

11 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.72.

12 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.70.

13 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.71.

14 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.71-72.

15 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.72.

16 Vladimir Dimitrov, “Fuzzy Logic in Service to a Better World: the Social Dimensions of Fuzzy Sets”, in Complexity, Organisations, Fuzziness, p.3. of “Introduction to Fuzziology” –

17 Vladimir Dimitrov, “Fuzzy Logic in Service to a Better World: the Social Dimensions of Fuzzy Sets”, in Complexity, Organisations, Fuzziness, p.5.

18 Adam McLean, The Triple Goddess, p.12.

19 Adam McLean, The Triple Goddess, p.17.

20 Adam McLean, The Triple Goddess, p.12.

21 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.73.

22 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.74.

23 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.74.

24 William Irwin Thompson, Gaia: A Way of Knowing, p.7. He says that when Lynn Margulis spoke of bacteria laying down the iron ore deposits in the Gunflint formations of Ontario, he saw dwarves at work in the mines.

25 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.74.

26 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.73.

27 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.77.

28 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.77.

29 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.77.

30 Carolyn McVikar Edwards, The Storyteller’s Goddess, p.152.

31 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.73.

32 Brian Swimme, Canticle to the Cosmos, video 4.

33 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.75.

34 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.76.

35 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.76.

36 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.76.

37 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.76.

38 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.76-77.

39 Susan Bridle, “Comprehensive Compassion: An Interview with Brian Swimme”, What Is Enlightenment? No. 19, p.40.

40 The imaging by Swimme and Berry of autopoeisis as the place within, of direct contact with the cosmos – may suggest that the other two aspects are not. This would be an incomplete comprehension or expression of the other two aspects. Upon reflection, these other two aspects cannot be separated out from autopoeisis, and do also contact directly, simply in a different way; that is, the urge to differentiated manifest form and the weaving into relational being are as integral with the Larger Self as the creative centre.

41 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.75.

42 This “knowing” is meant in the broadest sense – not only referring to the human reflective knowing, but also to other ways of “knowing” by other beings and entities.

43 Loren Eiseley, The Immense Journey. p.26.

44 Loren Eiseley, The Immense Journey. p.27.

45 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.125.

46 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.132.

47 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.133.

48 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.126-127.

49 See Appendix A.

50 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.134.

51 David Abram, The Spell of the Sensuous, p.247.

52 Margulis refers to the work of Russian scientist Vladimir Vernadsky and philosopher of science Karl Popper, saying that: “the activities of each organism lead to continuously changing environments. The oxygen we breathe, the humid atmosphere inside of which we live, and the mildly alkaline ocean waters in which the kelp and whales bathe are not determined by a physical universe run by mechanical laws; the surroundings are products of life interacting at the planet’s surface.” Cited in Connie Barlow (ed.), From Gaia to Selfish Genes: Selected Writings in the Life Sciences, p.237.

53 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.132.

54 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.132.

55 Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story, p.136-138.

56 Alfred North Whitehead, “God and the World”, in Ewert H. Cousins (ed), Process Theology, p.91.

57 Alfred North Whitehead, “God and the World”, in Ewert H. Cousins (ed), Process Theology, p.91.

58 Alfred North Whitehead, “God and the World”, in Ewert H. Cousins (ed), Process Theology, p.91.

59 Charles Hartshorne, “The Development of Process Philosophy”, in Ewert H. Cousins (ed),Process Theology, p.53.

60 Nancy R. Howell, A Feminist Cosmology: Ecology, Solidarity, and Metaphysics, p. 13-14.

61 Nancy R. Howell, A Feminist Cosmology: Ecology, Solidarity, and Metaphysics, p. 22.

62 Nancy R. Howell, A Feminist Cosmology: Ecology, Solidarity, and Metaphysics, p. 31.

63 Nancy R. Howell, ??A Feminist Cosmology: Ecology, Solidarity, and Metaphysic??s, p. 32, quoting Rita Brock, Journeys by Heart: A Christology of Erotic Power, p.46.

64 Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth, p.48-49.

65 See Connie Barlow (ed), From Gaia to Selfish Genes: Selected Writings in the Life Sciences, p.47-66, and also Elisabet Sahtouris, Earthdance, Ch.6 particularly p.100-103.

66 referred to in William Irwin Thompson, Coming into Being, p.18.

67 William Irwin Thompson, Coming into Being, p.21.

68 William Irwin Thompson, Coming into Being, p.22.

69 William Irwin Thompson, Gaia: A Way of Knowing, p.7.

70 William Irwin Thompson, Coming into Being, p.23.

71 William Irwin Thompson, Coming into Being, p.26.

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Avocado & Banana Chocolate Pudding
November 27, 2020

Avocado & Banana Chocolate Pudding

Avocado & Banana Chocolate Pudding

This deliciously smooth pudding is super healthy for kids…and they won’t even know it is 🙂

You only need 4 ingredients and you have yourself a guilt free dessert that the kids devour!

To make your own you will need:

2 x avocados

2 x ripe bananas

6tbs cocoa powder

1tsp vanilla essence

This recipe will serve 2 – 4 people (2 adults & two kiddies).

Step 1

Peel & deseed the avocados and add them to a processor

Step 2

Peel bananas & add to processor and blend/pulse until super smooth

Step 3

Add the cocoa powder & vanilla and blend (scrape down the sides of the processor to make sure all ingredients are incorporated)

Step 4

Spoon into dessert dishes and top with sliced banana & almonds (optional)

The kids request this over and over! I hope your kiddies enjoy it as much as mine do!

Check out our ‘Cooking with Kids‘ section for other yummy ideas!

If you want to become a Fellow Fun Mum Member & receive all of our fun craft, recipes & activities as well as special offers & promotions – click the button on our home page 🙂
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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Who is Malala Yousafzai?

Much has been written about Malala Yousafzai; glowing tributes in the west and some criticism from her countrymen, even after winning this year's coveted Nobel Peace prize. So, who is she really? A courageous girl who stood up against the Taliban to fight for education, or a puppet of the west? Or is she simply an ordinary girl who has been thrust into the limelight, someone who does not deserve her fame?

Well, her hand shows that this girl is certainly not an ordinary girl. The main features of her hand are
her strong mounts of Jupiter, Mercury and Uppers Mars and strong lines, straight fingers, and a good thumb. Together they show that she is possibly as brave as she is reputed to be. A person who can be calm and think objectively in a crises, can stand up to people and is not easily discouraged.

You can check out a photo of her hand here.

Malala Yousafzai's hands show that she is a person with sufficient will power and good character. There is ambition shown, more so because of her prominent Jupiter finger. The well-developed sense of self and heightened self-awareness is another reason why she was able to stand up to her enemies and fight back. High self-esteem, and a strong sense of self give fuel to courage. Plus, there is some idealism in her personality too. She is also straightforward. With all these personality characteristics it is not surprising that she has political ambitions.

This does not automatically mean that she will become a successful politician. She has the right motives, but without the right opportunities it cannot happen. Also, her hand does not show great determination. Instead it shows flexibility, enjoyment of comforts and a soft inner nature plus a certain gullibility. It leaves her open to influence and manipulation. These are deterrents to becoming a successful politician. If anything, a successful and powerful politician has to be a little wily, and she is not.

However, she is still very young and as her circumstances have changed rather suddenly and it is more than likely that her personality could change further, and with it her future.

You might also like Yousaf Raza Gillani hand reading or Hand analysis of Ayatollah Khomeini or Pakistan's Imran Khan or try any of the labels below this post.

  1. As she is young, I think, her personality might change in the coming years. Can palmistry predict how personality might change after a few years, for young people?

  2. If the seed is sown, then the changes are already manifest on the active hand. That is why there is the difference between the two hands even in very young people. The subconscious knows it because the idea has been planted.

  3. My travel line curves down and touches the outside life line? does this mean fatality?

  4. Our future is not a fixed one so there is no point trying to predict fatalities.

Your polite comments are welcome! And those who use the name "Anonymous" may not get their comments published because it becomes difficult to distinguish between different commentators. You don't have to use your real name but do use some name! Thanks.


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There are many different international dating sites, but you may be wondering what sets these types of dating sites besides each other is really they all characteristic thousands of regional girls exactly who are wanting to meet foreign men by all over the world. A few of these dating sites only have simple and standard profiles, when others sites characteristic much more precise profiles with detailed photographs and complete information on every individual’s existence. One of the most well-known international seeing sites today is normally Local Seeing USA, which is becoming highly sought after with regional girls who have are interested in meeting foreign men as well. Below are a few reasons why you may want to sign up for fitness center at Community Dating UNITED STATES:

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When it comes to in fact using the dating options, the web has made getting matches easier than it was once. There are plenty of absolutely free dating sites that you can get for everyone to use. Many men happen to be scared off by the thought to be blind online dating, since they typically know whether they will certainly mess up or perhaps not. There are numerous apps available on the i phone and android os devices that make the whole experience a lot easier than it would have already been a few years previously. The cupid has arrived!

Areas Served: We handle Social Security disability claims for claimants from Palm Springs and surrounding areas.


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Warrant Arrest

On 08/26/2018 at 2:44 p.m. the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office arrested Cody Lee Koob, 22, of Havelock on a valid Palo Alto County warrant. The warrant was for unauthorized use of credit card under $1,000.00. Bond was set in the amount of $6,500.00 cash only. Koob was unable to post the cash only bond and was subsequently booked into the Palo Alto County Jail to await his initial appearance before the magistrate.

A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.


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Freelance Writers: How to Protect Yourself from Unscrupulous Clients

While working on your own as a freelance writer has certain perks, there are also a few drawbacks. When it’s just you, your computer, a high-speed Internet connection and your clients, you open yourself up to potential problems, such as unscrupulous clients who refuse to pay you for your work. Here are a few tips for freelance writers on how to protect yourself from those unscrupulous clients.

Protect Yourself from Unscrupulous Clients: Prepare a Contract

Although a contract doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be paid for your work, it is definitely good insurance. A contract is an agreement between two people-the freelance writer and his or her client-that states the specifics of the project as well as the payment terms and the consequences for non-payment.

Have an attorney create a standard contract for you or talk to other freelance writers who might have a contract template. You can find pre-made contract templates at and (state-specific).

Protect Yourself from Unscrupulous Clients: Be a Good Judge of Character

As a freelance writer, it isn’t your prerogative to accept every client who comes your way. If you’re getting a bad vibe or if you’ve heard negative things about an individual or company, feel free to say “no”. Even if you’re worried about paying the mortgage next month, you won’t be farther ahead to do work for free.

It is also not inappropriate to ask a client for references from previous contractors. Even if they’ve only worked with web designers or virtual assistants, it will give you peace of mind to know that other contractors have been paid in full and on time.

Protect Yourself from Unscrupulous Clients: Be Firm From the Beginning

One thing that I’ve learned during my short tenure as a freelance writer is that you have to be firm from the very beginning or clients will walk all over you. State your terms up front and let the client know that there isn’t any room for negotiation. Don’t let a client talk you down for your price or convince you that your work isn’t worth what you advertise.

That said, don’t be rude or inconsiderate either. Act like the consummate professional that you are and you’ll earn the respect of your clients. Turn in projects when they are do and send prompt invoices to encourage payment on time.

Protect Yourself from Unscrupulous Clients: Don’t Advertise That You’re an Amateur

If you’ve only been freelancing for a few months (or a few weeks!), don’t advertise that fact to potential clients. Instead, behave as though you’ve been freelancing for years. This will discourage clients from trying to get one over on you and will further illustrate that you’re a professional.

Protect Yourself from Unscrupulous Clients: Don’t Start a New Project Until You’ve Been Paid for the First

If you’ve completed a project for a client, wait until you receive the check before starting a new project for that same client. This will ensure that you’ve judged his or her trustworthiness before putting more work and effort into their cause. If you’re sent a check, wait for the payment to clear in your bank before starting a new project; bounced checks are hell on a freelance writer’s income.

Protect Yourself from Unscrupulous Clients: Hire an Attorney

If you’re knee-deep in a dispute with a client, don’t hesitate to contact an attorney for representation. Sometimes just a demand letter written by an attorney will be enough for a client to pay up, but if you are forced to take it farther than that, you will need an experienced attorney to help you through the legal process of collection.

Protect Yourself from Unscrupulous Clients: Don’t Allow Mid-Project Changes

If your client wants to change the scope or content of the project when you’ve already begun work, charge a fee. As a freelance writer, you must remember that you need to be compensated for any work that you perform, regardless of whether the client changes his or her mind. Put that policy in your contract and make sure that your client understands ahead of time.

Freelance writers are taken advantage of every day in America and overseas, but ultimately, it’s up to you to protect …

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Educational Challenge Helps 3 Woburn Schools Raise $40K

How do you calculate ‘success’? Well the students of three Woburn, Massachusetts schools calculate it 30 different ways!

On April 13th , the Hurld Elementary School PTO held a PTO Ideas’ Educational Math Challenge fundraiser that was an enormous success.

Students collected pledges for each correct answer on a 30-question math test. A concept similar to a walk-a-thon; but instead of walking, the kids are learning to earn money for their school.

Over a 7-day period, parent volunteers organized fun, educational, math-related games and challenges to motivate the students and get them ready for the final challenge test this past Wednesday.

The PTO’s goal was around six to seven thousand in order to purchase computer equipment for the school. The students far exceeded that goal and raised over $11,000.

Similarly, in 2008 the Wyman School ran the PTO Ideas’ Educational Challenge as a Spelling Challenge and this 200-student school raised over $13,000. The Linscott-Rumford , also in Woburn, joined in to run the Challenge fundraisers two years in a row resulting in profits of $8,500 and $7,200.

The fundraiser comes from Vicki Blaze of PTO Ideas (, a web-based company in Massachusetts. Blaze started the company in October 2006 and has written the Budget BashesTM series of fundraising ebooks, inlcuding the Educational Challenge and the $5ForKids Campaign.

Word has been spreading across town and across the country about these fundraising books that are helping schools increase their fundraising campaigns by thousands of dollars. Together Blaze’s ebooks have helped these 3 schools alone raise over $40,000.…

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The ‘Race to the Top’ Education Plan

Last month President Obama presented the country’s “Race to the Top” plan to state Governors. It’s an Educational Reform incentive program geared toward getting them jazzed about beefing up their states’ school systems.

In his speech, Obama described students in early learning programs up until senior year of high school, as the potential employees of tomorrow. He emphasized that our schools must churn out kids that are ready to succeed in college, are creative, possess problem solving skills and, who also possess an entrepreneurial spirit. This, he explained is the only way that they’re going to compete for jobs in this global economy.

4 billion dollars of the Recovery Act is aimed at reforming and refining US Education. Rather than handing out the funds, governors will compete for a share. States that turn around schools, employ great teachers, have high performing students will get a piece of the pie.

The way Obama put it, ‘States that outperform the rest, will win and America’s children will be better for it.’ Massachusetts is the only state mentioned as one of the current winners He says it’s not about more tests; it’s about finally getting testing right. Although he talked a lot about factors failure – poverty and racial difference, there was only one off-the-cuff mention about special ed.

Starting this September, Arne Duncan (Education Secretary), Al Sharpton, and Newt Gingrich are touring the country to promote the plan.

See the video on…

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Reservations in the Indian Education System

Almost 50% reservation in various fields of education is degrading the quality of students passing out every year. As a result the quality of education is also deteriorating due to this. Many brilliant students who deserve much better colleges or universities are barred from getting admission due to this reservation. In the present scenario in India there is no discrimination between people of different castes or societies. Every individual in the country gets the same opportunity but still though we talk of equality in society still due to this reservation the government is creating a difference in social status in our society.

Do you think this can help in the development of any nation? The government talks of equality everywhere but still in the educational system, government jobs there is a divide between the different societies in our country. Every year the situation gets worse as the government implements more and more reservation in the educational system. Is there any opportunity that the so called backward classes in the society don’t get? The answer is obviously no. Then why is this discrimination. Due to this the unity, equality and tranquility among the people is getting disturbed. We want a society, nation free from all these discrimination and so I would like all my brothers and sisters to raise their voice against this.…

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Five Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Downtown Seattle

If you’re planning to visit Seattle with the kids, you won’t be disappointed as there are numerous things that are sure to keep the entire family entertained no matter what time of year you arrive.

Pike Place Market

This market is not only one of the most popular attractions in the city; it’s the oldest continually operating farmers’ market in the U.S., founded over 100 years ago in 1907. It’s also one of the most lively markets, with not only the fresh produce, seafood and flowers you might expect, but a wide range of vendors that sell specialty foods, handcrafted and vintage goods, rare comics and collectibles, and all types of entertainment.

It’s always fun to watch the fishmongers toss their fresh catch of the day, but you’ll find many performers throughout the market including talented musicians (along with the not-so-talented), magicians, balloon-makers, and even a colorful and comedic costumed gorilla playing buckets rather skillfully.

The Great Wheel

One of Seattle’s newest attractions can be found by taking the steep steps down to the waterfront. The Seattle Great Wheel is one of the largest Ferris wheels in the country and offers amazing views of the Puget Sound as well as the Olympic Mountains on the other side. If you happen to arrive on a clear day, towering Mount Rainier may even make an appearance.

Seattle Aquarium

Also along the waterfront, the Seattle Aquarium is home to playful sea otters, adorable harbor seals, fur seals, and the always fascinating Giant Pacific Octopus. Kids will love the chance to get their hands wait and even touch some of the creatures that live in the tide pools along the state’s coastline as well as Puget Sound’s inland sea.

Get out on the water

Getting out on the water is a must while you’re here. A variety of cruises are available right from the Seattle waterfront, including sight-seeing tours of the harbor a well as sunset sails to take in breathtaking views of the city skyline. If you’re on a tight budget, just hopping on the Washington State Ferry to Bainbridge Island is a great way to get some of the same views and maybe even spot a dolphin or whale along the way.

Pacific Science Center

Just below Seattle’s famed landmark, the Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center provides an opportunity to journey back to the days of the dinosaurs or stroll through lush gardens and brilliantly blooming flowers at the Tropical Butterfly House to watch the colorful insects fly and feed. You can even learn about the universe we live in and delve into unsolved mysteries at the Planetarium.…

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Used Bookstores in Kansas City and Surrounding Areas

Used bookstores aren’t just for the bargain hunters anymore. If you are willing to do some fishing through bookshelves and bins you will be surprised by the hidden gems you find. Who wants a new version of a book when you might be able to find a first edition?

Prospero’s Bookstore – This used bookstore is located on 39th street in Kansas City, MO. It is run by people that adore the written word and will help you with any question you ask. It is in an old building that they are constantly working on. There are 2 floors and they not only have current fiction but they also have nonfiction, classics, and occult books. As a used bookstore goes they are very well organized and have some great titles.

½ Price Books – This is a commercial end used bookstore. And although they are not independently owned and they don’t have the charm of most used bookstores they do have cheap books and a wide selection. They also will purchase books from you as well. They are located in Olathe and Overland Park, Kansas as well as other areas around the city. This is a great store if you like books but aren’t desperately in love with them.

JD Books – This used books store is a small one located in historic Westport. Definitely worth a visit especially due to the area it is located in. However they also carry rare books if you are looking for a true used book treasure. They are a little small but really most independent used bookstores tend to be. They have almost no advertising which means they manage to stay afloat just by the books they sell.

Lasus Used Books – This little independent used bookstore is located in Riverside, MO. They have used books as well as collectibles. The prices for the used books are pretty average for an independent store. The employees are very friendly and willing to dig through their books as well for you.

Anastasia’s Books – This is another charming independent used bookstore. They have rare, uses, and out of print books. They are located in Raytown, MO. What is so great is they will buy your books or even trade them for others within the store. They will also special order books for you even they can locate the title you want.

Really when purchasing any book look into shopping at a used bookstore, not only can you find books for less than regular price but you can also find rare books, and impossible to find novels. Plus you get a charming experience and support a local business.…

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Bette Hagman’s Books About Celiacs and Dietary Restrictions

Why Being Gluten-free and Wheat-free is Necessary for Someone Who is a Celiac – How to Do It, Where To Look for Advice

A gluten-free diet does not need to be just produce, protein or as Bette Hagman would say, “Bananas and Rice”. People on wheat-free and gluten-free diets are able to consume grains such as corn meal, quinoa, rice, millet, as well as soy flour and other bean flours.

Consumers are seeing more labels that say gluten-free or contain warnings about gluten. These labels are not yet on all products, however, are expected to be in the future. These labels are on some products, products that don’t have a warning label usually have contact information to reach the corporate headquarters. A visit to a company’s website as well as toll-free phone calls to the company should give a consumer information about what products a given company manufactures. For the celiac, this important information is what products are wheat-free and gluten-free.

A visit to Albion, the Swan Library, a public library in Orleans County, New York was full of useful books about wheat-free diet options, such as books by Bette Hagman, who has been researching gluten-free products for 25 or more years. Thumbing through a few books by Bette Hagman provided some interesting information about what contains gluten and what does not contain gluten that I did not know previous to this reading.

The author of these cookbooks, Bette Hagman, is a founding member of GIG (Glucose Intolerance Group), is a good author.

I have found that fruit cocktail is also gluten-free. Sugar-free, gluten-free fruit cocktail is sold by Wegman’s, sweetened with fruit juice. Look for labels that say wheat-free and gluten-free on products.

Things to avoid include dextrin, which could be made from wheat, or corn, or rice, or tapioca. Read the label carefully, and if in doubt, contact the manufacturer.
Malto-dextrin is safe to use, being made from cornstarch. Gluten-free diets allow for corn starch, corn meal, corn, and popcorn.

Watching videos about the gluten-free diet while eating popcorn is a goal of mine. I’ve been thinking about what I read, and am certain that popcorn is a flavorful and excellent thing to do! Popcorn is a surprisingly quick and easy way of making a gluten-free snack food for yourself. There are many flavorings that make popcorn taste an an equally unique variety of ways. Everybody eats popcorn, whether it be cheese-flavored, or garlic-flavored, or onion powder flavored, or paprika flavored, or cinnamon-sugar flavored, or basil/oregano/rosemary flavored, or sun-dried tomato flavored, or thai-peanut sauce flavored, popcorn is something that everybody enjoys eating!

Bette Hagman is an author of cookbooks for gluten-free diets. These diets are also wheat-free.…

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The Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market is a Excellent Resource for Aspiring Artists

The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market is a must have for aspiring children’s writers. It is a valuable resource for anyone trying to break into the business of writing for children. The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market is a book that guides you on your quest to writing success.

The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market gives writers information on how to market and sell their writing. Writing, revising, and editing is a long process. When we finally have the perfect manuscript, we don’t want to waste our time sending our submissions to publishers who are not looking for the kind of story that we have created. The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market makes it easier by giving the listings, and submission requirements of book and magazine publishers. There is even a section for marketing greeting cards, puzzles, coloring books, and games.

The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market offers important tips on how to create queries, cover letters, proposals, and how to handle contract negotiations. The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market also provides information on properly formatting your manuscripts, organizing your office space, and keeping submission records.

I know that when I first started, I was really confused about things like first rights, one time rights, first North American serial rights, second serial rights, foreign rights, and subsidy rights. The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market makes learning about these things easy, by breaking them down into sections and explaining them.

The subject index is really a plus. If you have a humorous story that you want to submit, simply refer to the subject index to find out exactly which book, and magazine publishers are looking for that genre of work.

The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market provides sections on writing great children’s stories, listings on workshops, and children’s writing competitions. The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market offers a list of online resource that may be helpful to children’s writers. If you have questions or doubts on a particular issue pertaining to the business of writing, you can always refer back to the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market.

The cost of the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market is minimal, compared to the wealth of viable information that it offers. The book is available at most large chain bookstores for less than thirty dollars.

If you are an aspiring children’s writer and you don’t have the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrators Market, you need to go out and buy it. The book is a great time saver when you are looking for the perfect publisher to market your work.…

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Child Beauty Pageant: Winning and Losing Talent Performances

Observing child beauty pageants together is a great way coach your child through the do’s and don’ts of winning or losing performances. If your child is competing in beauty pageants, it is wise to order the Videos observe what choices and habits make contestants winners or losers.

Winning performances at child beauty pageants:

• Feel the performance: One pageant talent winner in particular, sang a song that while not necessarily popular, told a story. In addition, but her body language and facial expression told the story too. It did not hurt that she had a great soprano voice for a child under 10.

• Wow the crowd: Judges at child beauty pageants also notice the reaction of the crowd. If your dance routine involves stunts few others cannot do, then go for it! Flexibility helps!

Losing performances at child beauty pageants

• Be yourself. A Shirley Temple impression, while adorable, is just an impression. After a certain age, it’s time to form your own performance style.

• Painful to the ears: Get an impartial person to listen to you sing when preparing for your child beauty pageant, if you sing off key or just not well at all chose another talent. If you sing OK, take lessons to get better.

• Forgetting lyrics. A big no-no at child beauty pageants, especially when you are singing a popular song and everyone else knows the lyrics.

• Poorly played instrument. At a girl’s pageant, a performance that sound like you are tuning a guitar will not be understood. However, in a school talent contest, I might go over well.

• Background louder than singer: Singing should be louder than the background music. Try to use music with only background vocals in a child pageant, not a track with the main lyrics to the song.

At child beauty pageants watch out for:

• Natural Pageants prefer performances not be over staged. This means paying more attention to the camera that to what you are doing and choreography planned with camera poses. It gets annoying to the audience and judges. You would never find a regular tap dance performer stopping in the middle for a photograph.

• Classical music is great, but for talent contests, something more popular is appreciated, unless you are especially gifted.

• Have copies of your music, sometimes a disk that worked previously, may not work later.

• Clothing should fit. If your dress is too tight, short, or falling off one shoulder, it will take attention away from your performance.

• Know when to stop. Practice with your music and make sure your DJ knows when to stop the track. It is embarrassing if you keep singing after the music has stopped.

• Too short: Don’t leave them asking if you were really finished, or just quit. If the time limit is 2 minutes, try to do at least one and a half.…

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Shipping Your Amazon Book Orders

Shipping Domestically

Amazon seller shipping credits are flat for books, and are not calculated by weight or the location you will be shipping to. You will be credited the same amount for both a two ounce leaflet and a 15 pound textbook.

Within the United States, there are a few Amazon shipping methods.

For items weighing 7 ounces or less, you will save the most shipping via First Class Mail versus shipping that same item by Media Mail. For items weighing more than 7 ounces, shipping costs less by Media Mail versus First Class Mail.

You can ship via Media Mail for the “Domestic Standard” option, which is not at all unreasonable. With the $3.99 credited to you, you will be able to ship up to a 5 pound book ($3.94 via Media Mail) without losing any money.

When shipping “Domestic Expedited”, you will be shipping via Priority Mail. You will be credited $6.99, but to ship that same 5 pound book via Priority Mail to California if you are located in Maryland, it will cost you $17.65 ($10.70 if you can fit it into a Medium Flat Rate Box). Priority Mail costs are variable according to your shipping zone and the zone you are shipping it to. Amazon credits you $6.99, so you will be losing $10.66 to ship it.

Shipping Internationally

If you choose to ship internationally, sometimes the shipping will cost a significant amount more than the Amazon international shipping credit you will recieve. If you are shipping via USPS, “Standard International” translates into USPS First Class International, and “Expedited International” translates into Express Mail International. Remember, the shipping credit will not be calculated by where you are shipping to or the weight of the book.

Here, I will be using Australia as an example for the shipping prices because when shipping from the USA the Amazon shipping costs to Australia are highest. Shipping is a bit lower to Europe, but not too much lower.

If someone from Australia orders a book from you that weighs 4 pounds and chooses the “Standard International” option, it will cost you approximately $31.40 to ship it to them via “First Class International”. Amazon credits you $12.49 in shipping, so you will be losing $18.91 to ship it.

If someone from Australia orders a book that weighs over 4 pounds, and chooses the “Standard International” option, the shipping rate to Australia will be $46.90 ($43.45 if you can fit the item in a Medium Flat Rate Box). Items weighing over 4 pounds cannot be shipped via “First Class Mail International”. For items weighing over 4 pounds, it is necessary to send them via “Priority Mail International”, even if the buyer chooses the “Standard International” option. Amazon credits you $12.49 in shipping, so you will be losing $34.41 to ship it.

If someone from Australia orders a book from you that weighs 5 pounds and chooses the “Expedited International” option, you will be shipping via USPS Express Mail International. Amazon will credit you $35.98, and the shipping cost via USPS Express Mail International will be $55.75, meaning you will lose $19.77.

You can ship up to a 1 pound 4 oz book to Australia with the amount credited by the “Standard International” option without losing any money. With the “Expedited International” option, you can ship up to a 15 ounce book to Australia without losing any money.

And remember, as it states on Amazon: “Shipment is required even if the shipping amount credited to your account does not cover all shipping costs.”…

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HG00 #024 Cherudim Gundam 1/144
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    HG00 #024 Cherudim Gundam 1/144

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    A Celestial Being Mobile Suit specializing in long-range combat, Cherudim Gundam can take down enemy units with precision shooting using its GN Sniper Rifle II and the assistance of its HoloScreen when Trans-Am mode is activated:

    ■ This sharp snap-fit kit of Lockon's Mobile Suit comes molded in color and will be fully articulated with polycapped joints upon completion.

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    ■ The nine GN Shield Bits on the mech are removable and can be attached in various configurations on the included clear stand to form a defense shield.

    ■ A clear HoloScreen part is also provided to attach to the targeting unit folded out from the backpack.


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Panelo Q

A modern way for Queuing System!

Need Hardware solution, project customization, different model of license please visit our Partner Store or contact us.

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12″ Inner 250 Gauge Polythene Record Sleeves Storage Vinyl Covers

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12″ Inner Record Sleeves which perfectly fit Vinyl Record Sleeves to Protect them from Dust or Dirt.
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Articles in Category: Home Automation

"Do you guys still do Crestron programming?"

With all the things that PanTech Design does, we can sometimes forget to mention all the things that we do.

We were having a conversation with an Adapt dealer who was struggling to keep up with all the projects he had going (good problem to have). His bottleneck was programming. While Adapt made his programmers much faster, everybody has their limits. Then surprisingly, he asked, "Can you guys, help? Do you still program systems?"

15 Years of PanTech Design

Troy reminsces about the past 15 years and reflects on what PanTech Design means to him.

15 Years of PanTech Design

When I decided to start a business, I asked myself all the same questions people who start a business ask. “Will I make it? Will the business thrive? Is it the right time? What happens if…” While, there weren’t any clear answers to those questions, there was one thing that kept coming back to me. To have a successful business you need customers who come back to you for your services.

Adapt Case Study

Crown ADAPTs a Better Way

Adapt Case Study

Have you heard of Seattle’s Space Needle? The iconic 605-foot tower was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair, becoming a Seattle landmark and an instantly recognizable icon in the city’s skyline. Nestled here in Dallas, TX we happen to have our own iconic landmark in our downtown’s cityscape - Reunion Tower. Reunion Tower is referred to locally as ‘the ball’, the south’s own version of the Needle. Just like the Space Needle, Reunion Tower also features a revolving fine-dining restaurant at the top, Five-Sixty, named after height of the building. This iconic restaurant is well known for being a part of celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant group.

Since PanTech Design specializes in Crestron programming tools and not in reviewing restaurants, you may be wondering what this has to do with ADAPT. Crown Audio Video in Dallas, TX was the Crestron Technology Professional (CTP) selected to do the automation enhancements for the Five-Sixty Restaurant. When they ran into software challenges with the system they were implementing, they turned to PanTech Design for the answer. Read on to learn more about the project and how ADAPT and the PanTech Design team helped Crown complete this high-visibility commercial automation project.

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Dafna Talmor

Dafna Talmor is an artist and lecturer based in London whose practice encompasses photography, video, curation and collaborations. Her photographs are included in public collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, Deutsche Bank, Hiscox and in private collections internationally.

Dafna Talmor – Constructed Landscapes

Interview – Dafna Talmor


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The Formers of Villa Noailles at Premiere Classe

October 2, 2020

Since 2013, Villa Noailles has invited its former finalists to present their most recent collections in a dedicated showroom. This valuable exchange allows them to meet leading professionals within the privileged context of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Fashion Accessories in Hyères, providing them with visibility among the general public, journalists and members of the fashion industry. This year, Villa Noailles and Premiere Classe are strengthening their partnership by offering former finalists significant visibility among international and french buyers, from 2nd to 4th October in the Jardin des Tuileries, during Paris Fashion Week.

The artists tell us a bit about their new collections and what has inspired them. You can find their work at Premiere Classe from 2nd to 4th October in the Jardin des Tuileries:

“For this partly unisex collection, I wanted to play with reflections: the polished mirrors are overlapped with chains. The ever-present geometries are softened and the round shapes become square in an almost natural continuity.”

©Diane Sagnier

“My collection presents a young man empowered by his body, sexy and fresh, erotified and desired. Garments who speak about the body without being naked. A man who no longer has to hide his sexuality.

KATE FICHARD for the brand Paired Earwear
“By associating two worlds, jewellery and hearing, Paired is aimed at those who find that being and appearing are intrinsically linked. Paired is Earwear’s first brand.”

“The bags and accessories I will be presenting have emerged from all of my ‘Marianna Ladreyt’ ready-to-wear collections. I have collections called Calypso, Mnemosyne, or Hephaistos; the recurring inspiration of Greek mythology collides with technical shapes and materials to create new stories.”

MARTIAL CHARASSE for the brand VAOVA Studio
“Our ambition for our first collection is to give the swimming costume the place it deserves within our wardrobes; to make it a piece in its own right. Our creations are unique and have a positive social impact: the embroidery is done by hand in Madagascar by women paid at a fair price, in a workshop which ensures respect, goodwill and work satisfaction.”

“I will be presenting my ‘Blue Rice’ collection at Premiere Classe, which is inspired by my everyday life strolling the streets of Shanghai in Autumn of 2019. I will also showcase ‘Small faces’ jewellery, produced in collaboration with Goossens. I take my inspiration from the processes of engraving, tattooing and drawing. The clothes and jewellery that I create aim to translate the beauty of these mediums and to anchor us in a specific moment.”

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Strange Fruits is born as material for an exhibition. Jazz and everything involved in it, the passion, the smoky atmosphere, the sharp division between black and white are the starting points of this work.
You can find prints of this project in my SHOP
Miles Davis
Ray Charles
John Coltrane
Billie Holiday
Duke Ellington
Charlie Parker
Vick Dickenson e Earl Hines
Sam Lightnin' Hopkins
Coleman Hawkins
Mance Lipscomb
Olu Dara
Kid Ory
Louis Armstrong
Thelonious Monk
Gerry Mulligan
Ella Fitzgerald
Ron Carter
Count Basie
Charlie Mingus
Gene Krupa
Thelonious Monk
Archie Shepp
Strange Fruits:
a strange and bitter crop

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Raglan Castle With Kids – A Dragon Hunting Adventure

A small castle near the town of Abergavenny which is a great place in South Wales to visit with kids is Raglan Castle. Despite being a ruin, there is enough to keep kids interested and entertained and in this post you’ll find out about our visit to it and tips and information to help you enjoy visiting Raglan Castle with kids.

*Originally published in July 2018. Updated in March 2020.

Another South Wales castle that our son had been to before we started our dragon hunting adventures, this castle was located less than 30 minutes from our house. And yet, for some reason had eluded us until just before we left the UK for our new life in Portugal. Well, we had to rectify that. And so, a dragon hunting adventure at Raglan Castle was planned, and our son and I finally did it one February afternoon in 2017.

If you are wondering “where is Raglan Castle”, Raglan Castle, Wales is located just north of the village of Raglan in Monmouthshire, less than 20 minutes from Abergavenny. A late medieval castle, it dates from somewhere between the 15th and early 16th century. It has a large hexagonal keep known as the Great Tower, or Yellow Tower of Gwent, and was built for show rather than battle in mind, although it did see some. In 1938 Henry Somerset, the 10th Duke, entrusted guardianship of Raglan Castle to the Commissioner of Works and this Grade I listed building is now controlled by Cadw.

As with previous visits, when we arrived, we parked in the car park. That said, I needed to wait for a certain little someone to wake up before we could get going as he’d fallen asleep in the back of the car! Once he finally woke up, we made our way to the ticket office, and after showing our Cadw membership cards, we entered Raglan Castle to start our dragon hunt.

Raglan Castle is one of the more beautiful castles we’ve visited in Wales. Although a ruin like them all, there is still quite a bit of it intact, and you can easily imagine how splendid it must have looked when it was inhabited and the pride of Raglan.

We started our search for the Raglan Castle dragon by checking holes along the drawbridge under the gatehouse. No dragon. We then turned left after the gatehouse, into what seems to be marked as the library, but no dragon was hiding among the books.

After the library, we made our way through the Parlour, across the drawbridge to the Great Tower, the hexagonal keep. We climbed the stairs, always checking for signs of the dragon. My little dragon hunter enjoyed the views from the windows along the staircases.

With no dragon hiding in the Great Tower, we made our way back downstairs, and started checking around the Fountain Court and Apartments that lined this lovely grassy area for the Raglan Castle dragon. We also checked the Chapel and the Hall to no avail.

Next, we moved onto the area which houses both the kitchen and pantry, and lo and behold, we spotted the dragon hiding on a set of steps leading from the Buttery into the Hall. We had found him! As we had completed our mission, we decided to enjoy exploring the remaining areas of the castle, including the stone courtyard.

Before leaving Raglan Castle, our son made a beeline for the library again, fascinated by the books embedded in the walls. One final glance back at the beautiful building and our dragon hunting adventure at Raglan Castle came to an end.

Things to note if you visit Raglan Castle with kids

  • Raglan Castle is a Cadw site, meaning you gain free entry if you are a member.
  • The Castle is open as follows: November to February 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday, Sunday 11am to 4pm. March to June and September to October, the castle is open between 9.30am and 5pm. During July and August, the castle opens at 9.30am and closes at 6pm. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.
  • Note, that the castle is open every day except the 24th, 25th and 26th December, and also 1st January.
  • Raglan Castle prices are as follows: £7.70 per adult and £4.60 for children under 16, veterans and students, and £6.10 for seniors. Under 5’s are free entry.
  • There are visitor toilets on site that have baby changing facilities. There is also a toilet available for visitors with disabilities or limited mobility.
  • The castle is partly wheelchair and buggy accessible. However, upper or lower floors are not.
  • Raglan Castle is a non-smoking site.
  • There is a gift shop but no café.
  • Parking is available at Raglan Castle on the grassed surface in the outer grounds of the castle. Dedicated parking is not available.
  • Dogs are welcome in the castle provided they are kept on leads, and owners clean up after their dogs.

Raglan Castle, as mentioned, is located only 20 minutes from the town of Abergavenny and can also be easily accessed from Newport. Although a ruined castle, there is enough still intact to provide little dragon hunters with plenty of places to explore and room to run around.

It is a very beautiful castle to visit and worth it if you are in the area. Although there is no café there, I can highly recommend you visit the Cwtch Café in Abergavenny afterwards for a bite to eat with a cuppa. Their eggs Benedict was my favourite dish of a morning, and they do some amazing cakes too.

I do hope you get a chance to visit this castle which we were very lucky to live near in our last few years of living in the UK. It’s a splendid castle, and one I will be keen to return to with our son.

Cath x

*Prices and visiting times correct at the time of updating this post.

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20 thoughts on “Raglan Castle With Kids – A Dragon Hunting Adventure”

  1. South Wales has so many great Castles! I once went on a road trip around South Wales with a friend (pre kids) and we took in as many Castles as we could.

  2. I went on a school trip to Raglan castle when I was in primary school and I can remember finding the place absolutely mesmerising. I would love to visit again with my boys and dragon hunting is such a fun idea!xx

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