Tag Archives: UK

London, Personal, Religion & Spirituality

Revelations of a Refugee: Wisdom from faraway lands

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It sometimes puzzles me.. that holistic and spiritual people go out to visit other lands..away from UK, and post revelations, discovery of magic, beauty, art and deep wisdom! Puzzled is a generous word. Irked is the word I would have used. Why do people do that..? Go away to find deeper truths? Isn’t it already here? It could be that when people go away from the norm, they shift internally and become open to both inner and external wisdom. Or that they are reaching that state of inner-shifts, and that is what precipitates their journey to other lands and other places…and their transitions show up more.
One key factor for me is that I’ve always thought and felt how wonderful and deep this land (UK) is..how magical London is.. and how much I gain from it and how my own pagan spirituality has grown and thrives here in UK.

Racial violence in Sri Lanka – forced my family to flee our homeland in 1985 (art work i did for a news paper )
Then it struck me.. that I am not native to this land.. Not only was I a visitor but a refugee arriving in UK some 33+ years ago.. and I am still finding so much magic here. So like my friends who have to leave their homes in UK and go out to far away lands to find wisdom, I have been doing the same.. Just that I never got back `home’… where as those friends will be coming back to UK (well, I hope.. as otherwise I’ll miss them much).
Okay so that’s a bit tongue in cheek of me to say that.. I started by wanting to make fun of the whole situation..but along the way stopped to think..and that in itself has given me a new truth.
That truth is this is my home.. and all I need and want to learn is here.
33 years of exploring and living here is not nearly enough ..so I guess I’ll stay a bit longer..few more decades won’t kill me.. but death will, and like my father and grandparents and a few uncles.. who all came here and died and became part of this land, so will I. That’s not me being morbid or anything. Rather, am just marvelling at how fate has engineered all this.. I was not a seed who fell on the soil of this land and put roots and grew. I was a transplanted little twig.. who put new roots down here and grew into a big old tree (well.. 48 isn’t exactly `young’) .
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So here I am today..making a resolve.. embarking on a quest to show more of the spiritual mystery and magical beauty of London and Uk… But Wait..wait wait..! This is no new quest.. it’s been already my journey for decades.
-Mani Navasothy
London, UK. 2018
Astrology-Horoscopes-Forecasts, Eclipses, Psychic Techniques

Total SOLAR ECLIPSE- Monday 21st August 2017 (astronomy data & astrology charts & Eclipse Magic book offer)

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We’ve already had the partial Lunar Eclipse a week and a half ago, and the counterpart ..  the TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE occurs on this coming monday 21st August 2017.  (Eclipses always occur in pairs, separated by 2 weeks, and there are on average 2 pairs every year..).

I’ve downloaded the detailed Eclipse-diagram  from NASA website (Eclipse diagram/data (c) Fred Espenak – link at the bottom).

Total Solar Eclipse (21st August 2017) Details:

How long is this Eclipse?

Important point to remember is that, at any one location on the Earth, the actual Solar Eclipse is only visible for few minutes at most.   BUT it will be seen at different parts of the world at various times..  and at each part ..for slightly different duration.

Greatest Eclipse and its duration:

This is when the largest amount of the Sun is covered by the Moon..  and  takes place at 18:25 hrs  (Universal Time= GMT), and will be visible for 2min40sec, from a point in USA (Lat=26’58N.  Long=87’40 W).

Penumbral start & end of Eclipse:

There are two types of shadows formed by the Moon when it comes in front of the Sun..  ie the shadow that Earth Passes through.  Umbral shadow is the darkest part, where from under it, we see nothing of the Sun.  Penumbral shadow is a more lighter part, and we will see the Sun through it..

  • P1 : The Penumbral part of the eclipse will be first visible at  15:46 hrs   UT  (seen from pacific ocean at Sunrise).
  • P4:  The penumbral part of the Eclipse will be last visible at 21:04 hrs UT (seen from South America – before night falls locally there)

The Umbral  Eclipse data:

This is when the Sun is actually visibly blocked by a dark disc (Moon coming between us and the Sun).  In scientific  notations, we give this 4 sets of readings..  when it first starts (first contact/ start of Umbral Eclipse; 2nd contact;  when Eclipse begins to end; when final umbral eclipse fully ends.

  • U1 :  16:48 hrs UT
  • U2 :  16:49 hrs UT
  • Greatest Eclipse :  18:25 hrs UT
  • U3 :  20:01 hrs UT
  • U4 :  20:02 hrs UT

 NASA diagrams created/provided  by Fred Espanak, where all this data has been taken from:

Total Solar Eclipse 20th August 2017 - NASA diagram by Fred Espenak

Gif animation showing the visibility & times of the Total Solar Eclipse 21st August 2017 (by Fred Espenak of NASA)

Note:  The small dot at the centre is the exact location where the Total Eclipse can be seen at a particular time (Universal Time = GMT).   The larger grey/blue area shows the area from which penumbral eclipse can be seen at any particular time.  The dark sections of the Earth (on left and right) show the night time for those places.

Time: Remember all times are UT (Universal Time which is equivalent to Greenwich mean time).  so you must work out local time.  For example the dot first appears to the West of USA  (in Pacific Ocean area)  around 17:00hrs GMT..  This is actually sun-rise/ morning time for those who first see the Eclipse (if they were in the Pacific Ocean).

SE2017Aug21T

Visibility data for UK:

From these diagrams, you can ascertain that for us in United Kingdom, about 10% of this Eclipse will be visible around 19:00hrs GMT.

Astrology charts

Below is a general astrological chart I have created to show the positions of other planets & Zodiac signs, during the exact moment of this Total Solar Eclipse (Greatest Eclipse at 18:25hrs UT).

Total Solar Eclipse 21August2017 chart (c) Mani Navasothy

chart with houses Solar Eclipse 21august2017 placidus

-Mani Navasothy

If you are interested in doing Esoteric / ritual magical work / energy work, during the Eclipses, I have written a workbook (probably the world’s first book on Eclipse Magic).  here’s the link to buying it.

BUY – Eclipse Magic Workbook   Normal Price £18.  Special offer : £9.99

eclipse-magic-3-books-ad-feb2017

animals, Ecology & Environment, London, NEWS

Peaceful Protest to Ban ivory trade (25th Jan’14 London)

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Action for Elephants UK will be holding a peaceful demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy in London on 25 January 2014.  This demonstration will be conducted in a peaceful and respectful way towards China.

Peaceful protest 25Jan2014 to ban ivory - Outside chinese embassy (London)
Peaceful protest 25Jan2014 to ban ivory – Outside chinese embassy (London)

China is the world’s main consumer of ivory, with demand soaring in the last decade as more and more Chinese have acquired the means to buy it. The result of this escalating demand is a huge rise in poaching elephants for their tusks, to the point where the killing has reached unprecedented levels and threatens to wipe out elephants forever.

China have the ability and power to ban the trade in ivory, causing the demand for ivory to decline, giving elephants a fighting chance to recover in their numbers.

This event will be to welcome positive steps that China have taken in recent weeks and ask them to do more. To be world leaders in banning ivory and saving elephants.

Please join us on January 25th to add your voice at this event. We will provide placards that you can download and use on the day.

———–
Getting there – where and when
The closest underground station is Regent’s Park, about 8 minutes’ walk from the Embassy.

The demonstration will start at 11:00am. Everyone should start gathering at the embassy at 10:45am and we will remain there until 2:30pm.

Please wrap up warm; there are toilets and facilities close by for food and drinks.
—————————-

These details are copied (edited) from the official `event page’ for this protest, in order to give it more publicity..

You can join the group page – March for elephants uk at https://www.facebook.com/groups/626607120724176/
—————————–

-Mani Navasothy
(Pagan Frontiers of London)

 

Link  (26 Jan’14) :  Read my account of the Protest and check out some photos   Kill the Ivory Trade, not the Elephants, cries of Action for Elephants Uk group at protest outside Chinese Embassy, London

Eco-Magic, Ecology & Environment, London, NEWS

Eco-Magic to protect Oaken Wood in kent, UK

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Eco-Magic- Protect Oaken Wood
Eco-Magic- Protect Oaken Wood

You must have heard already – that the UK government has give the go ahead for commercial quarrying to take place at Oaken Wood, Kent..an ancient woodland!  The woodland trust have been running a campaign to save the Oaken woods ..but seem to have lost the first rounds…But that doesn’t mean the fight is over!

Apart from more consultations and procedures (all that formal legal channels) there is always Eco-magic!

Eco-Magic is when a group of pagans, magical, spiritual or New Agers gather together…to perform a magical working, ritual, prayer or spell-casting..  to save and protect an ecology, environment, plant, animal, species!   There have been many such activities, saving woods in other areas from being hacked for sake of roads, by-passes etc.  Dragon Eco-magical group is one such popular group, led by Adrian Harris and friends.. (still active in many ways!)

Well, my friends and I are taking the train from London (Victoria) today (Sunday 21st July’13) to travel to travel to Oaken woods.. and do an Eco-Magical working. Do join us if you can..in person..  or by adding positive protective thoughts to saving this woodland.

Warning:

If we let this one go, chances are it will set a legal precedents for the UK government to make similar `use’ of other 300 ancient woods in UK.   So this (pardon the pun) has to be nipped in the bud.

While others work hard via legal and formal paths, we pagans and magicians are free from bureaucracy and red tape  ..to act now!!

Meet us at Victoria train station at 12pm..  by WH Smith bookshop entrance…(look for me, Mani  (Hindu-Wiccan), and my friends Jacqui  (Priestess of Avalon) and Rose (Psychic & Wiccan).. Others are joining us on the site itself..

Thank you.

-Mani Navasothy

links

Save Oaken woods (website by group)

Article on News paper – Independant

Gaian Times Eco-Magazine (online)

Gaian Times-Facebook group

NEWS, Society

Is this the beginning of end for UK printing & publishing freedom?

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Threat to Freedom of Press? Cross-party agreement in UK
Threat to Freedom of Press? Cross-party agreement in UK

The 3 main political parties in UK – Labour, Liberl & Conservative – have agreed to a new system of regulation for the news paper industry in a unique cross-party deal, in the early hours of  2.30am on Monday 18th March’13   (Their meetings have been held leading up to it, which makes it all under the astrological influence of the only-just-going direct motion Mercury.. which happened t 8pm on Sunday night).

News of this proposal has been spreading out on Television, Internet and radio channels – and will appear in actual News paper print ..by Tuesday 19th Match’13.   (today, at the time of writing this blog).

UK Prime Minister David Cameron urges Papers to agree to new system of Regulation.  Yahoo news states that,

`Setting out plans for a royal charter to back a new, tougher press regulator with the power to impose big fines and prominent apologies on errant newspapers, Mr Cameron told MPs that the proposals delivered on the recommendations of last year’s Leveson Report on press standards.’

Joint statements by the Mail, Telegraph, News International and Northern and Shell, were concerned about  “several deeply contentious issues which have not yet been resolved with the industry“ and making clear they would not make an immediate response.

In Dailymail online (www.dailymail.co.uk)  reported the following points have been highlighted:

  • Press watchdog will issue £1m fines and demand front page apologies.
  • Body will be created by Royal Charter instead of being set up by legislation.
  • All three party leaders tried to claim victory after 20 months of wrangling.
  • Hacked Off, which represents celebrities and other victims, had four present.
  • No-one from newspaper industry was informed the talks were taking place.

Dailymail site also informed that, `London Mayor Boris Johnson, a former journalist, telephoned Mr Cameron yesterday and expressed ‘serious concern’ about a proposal to hit publishers who refuse to sign up to the new watchdog with ‘exemplary’ damages in libel cases’.

Is this the beginning of end for news paper freedom of publication in UK?   Yes, there has been a lot of phone tapping and other `scandals’ involving the news papers of late – and all these inquiries have been ways of diving and probing in deep by the government. Everyone has been at the mercy of the news industry – including the Royal Family, Ministers and Bankers – pretty much the 3 elite groups of people who otherwise will be `untouchable’ by the general public – save for the Journalists who keep them on their toes!  News Industry is a double-edged sword of course (mightier than a Sword!) …it can give biased views and change mass opinion, or be on the side of people, and challenge others who assume total power and control over people..

And now, the News paper industry has been `touched’ finally..  and ways of controlling it have begun, in the most `apparently open way’ possible of course.

I personally have been rebellious and challenging of anything in positions of power – not just for the sake of it – but if there is something that just doesn’t smell right to my inner rights and wrongs, even if others can’t immediately see it. I’ve challenged people in power (under various circumstances) – be in at work in the Home Office (I was an elected Union Rep), work in the Charity sector,  Officers in Pagan Community organisations .. and so on.   Just to be fair, I must say that I have also been part of a petition against Daily Mail paper, when they were seemingly reporting against Pagan practices.

So this news …of proposals to monitor, manage and control the News Paper industry (and eventually to other news media) is very worrying indeed.  Those who challenge authority are often walking a tight rope, and though they seem to be on a height above others, they also can take great falls – as there are others who can the tools to cut those ropes.

So my sympathies to the News Paper industry – After all, I am also in the publishing industry. My biggest worry is…waiting for the attention to fall even more heavily on the Freedom of publishing on the Internet..! 😦

-Mani Navasothy

Links

Gaian Times e-Magazine for Eco-spiritual & society matters

Esoteric Expert – my professional site / platform for publishing eBooks and ventures

Daily Mail report of this story

yahoo report of this story

General, NEWS, Paganism & Magic, Religion & Spirituality, Society

2011 Census: KS209EW Religion, local authorities in England and Wales

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The National Census in Uk took place on 27th March 2011.

The data is being released in stages by the Office for National Statistics http://www.ons.gov.uk.

Pagan organisations made a concerted effort to campaign among pagan communities, asking them to register themselves in the religion category as `pagan – xxxxxx’  where the individual can state their particular path as a sub-category of `pagan’ so that a clear number can be gleamed.

Well, the xls sheet that gives religion data does not yet give this details..  So pagans will have to hold their breath a little longer.

But here’s the religion data that has been released.. (xls sheet available for download freely from ONS website). here’s the link

This is for the WHOLE of England & Wales

Christian       33,243,175       (1)

Buddhist         247,743       (6)

Hindu               816,633       (3)

Jewish              263,346      (5)

Muslim               2,706,066       (2)

Sikh                       423,158       (4)

Other Religions      240,530       (7)

No religion      14,097,229

Religion not stated   4,038,032

Now assuming all the pagans did state their religion, as either `Pagan’  or `Pagan-Druid, Pagan-Wiccan’ etc..  or just as `pagan’, `Druid’, `shaman’ etc..  it all will be within the `Other Religions..  240,530.

The above table shows that Christianity has the largest declared numbers, followed by Muslims – second largst, then Hindu (3rd place), then Sikh (4th place), then Jewish (5th), Buddhist (6th place)..   Other Religions (there could be hundreds!) currently occupy 7th place..

 

here’s a screen capture of the interactive map that shows the percentage of people in areas ..for the `any other religions’ category…as it was in 2001 Census and the current 2011 Census UK.   (darker the blue, more numbers!)

UK Census comparison (2001 & 2011) for `Any other religions' in England & Wales (c)ONS
UK Census comparison (2001 & 2011) for `Any other religions’ in England & Wales (c)ONS

We’ll wait and see what the `Pagan-xxx’ category will show up ..when the full data is released.

-Mani Navasothy