On Saturday I took the boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of the Angkor Wat temple ruins. The trip followed the Tonle Sap River NW to the Tonle Sap, a large lake about half the size of Lake Erie. The river is unique in that it runs both directions; during the rainy season (May-Oct), the river runs toward the lake, filling it and vastly expanding its surface area (from 2700 to 16000 square km). In the dry season (Dec - Apr) the river reverses course, draining the lake of much of its water, and much of its wildlife as well. The Khmer (main Cambodian ethnic group) hold a festival each year to celebrate the reversing of the flow.
During the boat ride, I snapped lots of photos, and sat on top of the cabin most of the way. I got a little sunburn on my legs, but it was worth it. We left at 7am and docked in Siem Reap at 12pm. I was viewing the temples by 2pm.
The Angkor cities and temples were built from the 9th to the 15th centuries by the Kings of the Khmer Empire. Angkor Wat is the biggest temple, and started out as a Hindu site, but was later converted to Buddhism. Its image is reflected on the Cambodian flag. Many of the other sites are solely Buddhist, but all have a strong Hindu influence, recognizing the often close relationship between these two religions.
SUNRISE AT ANGKOR WAT
On Sunday, I got up at 5am with the intention of being the @ Angkor Wat at sunrise. As I wandered out the door, the jungle hotel courtyard was silent; the only sounds were birds chirping in the surrounding trees signaling the start of the day. The only people around were the night watchman, Chhean, who is working on his English in class one day per week, and the just arrived concierge. It was then that I realized that I had no way of getting to the temple. I thought it might be walk able, but it occurred to me that my memory of the distance in the car from yesterday was probably not accurate, so I asked for help. After some discussion between the two employees in Khmer, I was offered a bicycle that I happily accepted.
I was not entirely sure of the direction I should be headed as I pedaled out of the gate. I stuck with my intuition and rode off into the darkness, north through the forest. The road was unimproved, a mix of gravel and dirt. I passed many homes, open air shacks really, of locals who were awakening to start their day. Concern began to creep into my bones. How safe was it to ride this road right now? Was it the right road? What would I do if confronted by some locals in the dark? Despite these thoughts, I pressed on. I really didn't think what I was doing was dangerous; it was just dark and I was alone in an unfamiliar place. I was also sweating; while the sun had not
come up yet, it was warm and very humid. To make matters worse, to enter the temple you are supposed to have long pants on and a shirt that does not expose shoulders. I am wearing a pair of long linen pants and a long sleeve t. Big mistake on the latter. My shirt is stained with perspiration in about four minutes.
About ten minutes after I left, things began to look a little familiar and I arrive a checkpoint. I had purchased my 3-day pass yesterday, so I passed upon presenting it. Excitement started to hit - the temple moat was in sight, a full 70+ yards wide, and the sun lay low beyond the Eastern forest about to commence its daily journey across the sky. I was just in time.
For better or worse, there were plenty of other early risers crossing the causeway for the show. There are pros and cons to traveling alone. Pricing favors two or more in sharing rooms, rides, and sometimes food, etc. However, it was times like this when being alone pays off. I nimbly snap my photos and pass by the roaming groups stopping for each other, chatting, and constantly assessing their consensus. Soon I am climbing the various steps to reach the central tower, some 400+ yards from the moat. The steps are steep and worn; sandstone weathers easily in a tropical humid climate such as this. The way up is tenuous and the signs at the base warn of climbing at your own risk. Keeping your eyes in front of you prevents the "don't look down" syndrome that is so often associated with heights. I reach the top, and find just a few visitors have come this far, perhaps less than ten. I pray to a Buddha and light some incense sticks, dropping some local currency to the monk in attendance. A few more photos of the solar illumination of this monument to the ancient empire and it is time to reflect. I find an open stone window space to sit in, overlooking the tropical forest below and its immensely tall trees. I want to feel the energy of this place, soak it in without concern for photos, transportation, or time. I begin to cool down and my sweat stops and begins to dry off my shirt. I fall asleep.
Briefly after sunrise, most of the tourists leave, off to get breakfast. As I awake, the distant causeway across the temple grounds has essentially emptied and the louder groups of visitors have gone. The high temple tower is for the most part quiet. I linger for another 30 minutes or so and begin my descent. The heat and my effort build as I make my way down, and sweat returns. I stop for an omelet sandwich at a courtyard stand off in the tree line of the courtyard, and am immediately hounded by kids selling postcards and other trinkets. I turn them away and make my way back to the bike. The ride back is one of accomplishment. I get back at 8:15am, change, grab a chair at the pool, and relaxing in the rising tropical sun.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
August 27, 2006
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Above the Pacific
The sea glistened from 36,000 feet. Small white dots on the blue carpet reflect solar rays, but I could not tell the true origin - boat, wave, or other. Cumulo-stratus clouds interrupted the view of the deep blue, hovering and creating distinctive shadows on the azure seascape. At eye level, alto-cirrus clouds acted as a local ceiling to select areas of the sky. While I admired the ocean - truly in a Pacific state so far - I longed to see an island or atoll below. I need perspective for this panorama. Earlier I had searched for a tropical storm, a typhoon, to quench my thirst for geo-relativity. I knew they couldn't form over these seas (we were off the coast of Kamchatka), but I hoped for a dying beast that still held meteorological wrath as it swept its way north.
As we continue south, thunderstorms grow off to the East. Temporary ivory towers reaching up to our cruising altitude as lesser clouds mill about below, serfs paying homage to the king of the aerial feudal system. Such is the daily ebb and flow of the maritime skyline, contrasting the timeless landscapes we are accustomed to. Within hours, it will all be gone as storms move and dissipate while others grow. Numerous empires collapse, surrounded by lesser white puffs that resemble cottage cheese below, or layers of cake icing suspended in mid air above them.
As we pass over Taipei, Taiwan (ROC), I can see the melding of the city to the rugged landscape of the island. Roads, rivers, and buildings are all visible, and ships exit the harbor on their way to offshore markets worldwide. The interior of the island is a formidable forested mountain range, from which the short but sizable rivers run. Taiwan's population is clustered along these rivers as they emerge from the highlands to show their braided stream channels full of silt from the season rains. The periphery, particularly the western side that my window faces, holds most of the island's residents. The mountains look ominously over the coastal cities through the partial cloud cover that attempts to hide them. The lowlands, however, are not to be underestimated. Industrial sites are well developed, and are surrounded by geometric retention ponds, fish farms, or rice paddies.
Finally, another sight I had longed to see: the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). This line of thunderstorms circles the globe roughly corresponding to the Equator, but migrates north of it in the summer, and south of it during (our) winter. It marks the meeting point of the NE and SE trade winds that bring so much precipitation to the tropics. The line sits just south of Hong Kong today, with consistent cumulus clouds along its path, extending the length of the E-W horizon, and indeed around the world. Towering cumulonimbus monsters are interspersed as well; one particularly large one was easily over 45,000 ft. high. Tomorrow it may move south, en
route to its winter home. Earth is underestimated.
United Flight 869
August 16, 2006 3-4pm
Over the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Japan and China
As we continue south, thunderstorms grow off to the East. Temporary ivory towers reaching up to our cruising altitude as lesser clouds mill about below, serfs paying homage to the king of the aerial feudal system. Such is the daily ebb and flow of the maritime skyline, contrasting the timeless landscapes we are accustomed to. Within hours, it will all be gone as storms move and dissipate while others grow. Numerous empires collapse, surrounded by lesser white puffs that resemble cottage cheese below, or layers of cake icing suspended in mid air above them.
As we pass over Taipei, Taiwan (ROC), I can see the melding of the city to the rugged landscape of the island. Roads, rivers, and buildings are all visible, and ships exit the harbor on their way to offshore markets worldwide. The interior of the island is a formidable forested mountain range, from which the short but sizable rivers run. Taiwan's population is clustered along these rivers as they emerge from the highlands to show their braided stream channels full of silt from the season rains. The periphery, particularly the western side that my window faces, holds most of the island's residents. The mountains look ominously over the coastal cities through the partial cloud cover that attempts to hide them. The lowlands, however, are not to be underestimated. Industrial sites are well developed, and are surrounded by geometric retention ponds, fish farms, or rice paddies.
Finally, another sight I had longed to see: the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). This line of thunderstorms circles the globe roughly corresponding to the Equator, but migrates north of it in the summer, and south of it during (our) winter. It marks the meeting point of the NE and SE trade winds that bring so much precipitation to the tropics. The line sits just south of Hong Kong today, with consistent cumulus clouds along its path, extending the length of the E-W horizon, and indeed around the world. Towering cumulonimbus monsters are interspersed as well; one particularly large one was easily over 45,000 ft. high. Tomorrow it may move south, en
route to its winter home. Earth is underestimated.
United Flight 869
August 16, 2006 3-4pm
Over the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Japan and China
Why Astrology?
Not long ago, I took an interest in Astrology as I was browsing a bookstore for fun, an activity I am known to relish. It was an interesting read, and I found many parallels and connections within this particular book that I thought the concept was worth investigating further, so I bought it. This particular book had more narrow scope dealing solely with relationships. It described, in the opinion of its author, the different sun sign match ups that make marriages interesting, even including mock conversations and arguments. I found that I need more basic information on how everything worked within the astrological realm. I needed to start from scratch.
I read books, observed people I knew, and drew parallels based on their sun signs. As I observed more, I was able to see a number of patterns that matched up with astrological premises; Virgos’ unending attention to detail and self-criticism, Cancers’ moodiness and nurturing, Aquarian genius and aloofness. Pretty soon I was able to make basic analogies of my friends based on their sun sign. Lately, I have been able to guess new acquaintances’ sun sign with a high probability. I did my own birth chart online and asked my cousin, an astrology buff herself, to analyze it. As I learned more about myself, I began to see people differently. It became like a karmic realization in which the world made sense – that people made sense. I didn’t quite know what to do with it all, but I felt a little like I could see through time and space; that the world had more order than I realized, and that I was beginning to understand it.
I some cases, I am sure I have over analyzed. Like a kid with a new toy, I wanted to try out all my thoughts and observations. Astrological concepts buzzed around in my head during conversations with friends and work associates as I tried to trace their tendencies to find correlations. Most of them took it in stride, and some were quite interested. My closer friends were occasionally eroded by my growing obsession, but often asked my advice in dealing with people they had come across in their daily life. Naturally this invigorated me.
Living in Portland, one becomes used to diversity of interests, culture, and personal philosophies. Discussing astrology with most Portlanders was met with open minds if not downright immediate acceptance. In fact, many citizens of the Rose City that I came across were more than familiar with the basic facts about their sun signs, a surprising number were familiar with their birth charts. It was only when I introduced it to friends and family back East that I noticed a rise of skepticism among my listeners. Some were excited about hearing about themselves and agreeable to the generalities of a Sun sign reading, but most people didn’t want to be put in a box, often claiming that any inaccuracy meant that the whole system was a false prophecy. The lack of understanding of its interpretations and descriptions, highlighted by daily horoscopes and sound bite explanations, made convincing people to listen more difficult than getting them to accept astrological premises.
In order to learn about this system, one must first grasp the concept that astrology is not synonymous with predetermination. It might best be described as a blank slate; each of us is born with different abilities and dispositions and astrology attempts to explain and analyze this fact. It takes into account that people can and do change as they advance in life. In fact, it can help us pinpoint our weaknesses as well as our strengths. If understood, it is a roadmap to self improvement and interpersonal relationships.
Part of learning about ones astrological information is the acceptance of strengths and weaknesses. All people have weaknesses, but some who are introduced to astrology are not interested in hearing them, believing that they are perfect (at least in their eyes). “Oh no, I’m not high maintenance, it’s just that I really like my man to make me feel important.” Or, “I have an open mind, but I think nobody else does.” Astrology proclaims that we are all born with things that we can teach others and things we need to learn from others. It is a simple concept, and one that in isolation is not hard to embrace. When it becomes part of a system, one that has categories and nomenclature, it is not unusual to have people frighten with disdain that someone is attempting to sign them up for a New Age religion without their consent. However, I must admit how often I was blessed with individuals who readily admitted many of their weaknesses and faults, and were amazed to have them isolated and described. In many cases, they were relieved that they were not necessarily responsible for feeling that way, that it was perhaps hard-wired within them.
In teaching others what I have learned, I have found it best to describe my own faults first in order to put them at ease before discussing theirs. Strengths? Those are easy. Everyone wants to hear that they are friendly, smart, fun, organized, etc. But, for better or worse, Astrology is a zero-sum game. You cannot be born exceptional at all abilities; you have a composition that is a mixture of them. This mixture can be unbalanced, such as the genius musician who has trouble in social situations and cannot balance his own checking account. It can also have much balance, such as those who seem to have it all together but may not be amazing at any particular aspect of living.
The hardest part of buying into astrology is accepting that we don’t know precisely how it works. “My birth date, location, and time determines whether I am lazy or not? I don’t think so!” Well, not exactly. One astrologist refers to the currently immeasurable magnetic pull of the planetary positions as similar to radio waves; they existed in the 18th century, but we were unaware of their presence. Nevertheless, upon their discovery and measurement, we quickly put them to use in a wide variety of ways. Perhaps it shall be the same with these magnetic influences upon astrological signs.
From another angle, let’s look at the world from the top down. Mother Nature, God, Allah, or whatever Deity you claim allegiance to has organized a place that is integrated, complex, and seemingly random. Yet, as we continue to study nature, it becomes increasingly clear that chaos theory has some worth to it. Chaos theory, for those unfamiliar, is a mathematical area of study that examines complex systems, including those that appear random such as the atmosphere, to identify an underlying order. Such theories are helpful in explaining things such as global climate or the development of life on planets. The phrase “a butterfly flapping its wings over the US causes a hurricane over the Indian Ocean” is a popular analysis of this theory.
The human population is diverse not only in culture, but also in personality. Personality traits differ between men and women, but also between sisters and between brothers. This is especially noticeable between siblings of similar age and upbringing; why do two brothers, with a stable family and similar parental influences, differ in regards to these traits? There are many possible explanations, and astrology has some very valid ones. Does it not make sense for the world to be organized via a system of order that ensures a (relatively) equal number of emotional, exuberant, intellectual and practical people? If you were to design it yourself, is there a better way to do it than basing it on birth dates? Then they could be understood, studied, and embraced as humans begin to understand the system and its purpose. Based on the four elements of fire (exuberance), earth (practicality), air (intellect), and water (emotional), each of these elements controls three signs, evenly spaced out over the year so that in any four month period all elements have been represented.
Why is this difficult to believe in? It cannot be quantified - yet. In addition, the representatives, astrologers, are often people that don’t fit the mainstream. A strong dose of faith and belief is typical before diving into the Astrological realm. They often appear to be people who are a bit kooky, or odd. Weekly World News stories on the subject don’t help much either. To the untrained, astrology can appear like a substitute for religion (it is not). As a result, it has not been widely accepted in this society that has for so long been based on appearances and adherence to the conventional.
So why Astrology? If all these planets do pull on us, and affect our personalities, can’t we just learn it all on our own? Does learning about it take all the mysteries of life away? Not exactly, but in my experience, it has made many things clearer. Given the difficulties that interpersonal relationships present, that is a good thing. I have downloaded and interpreted a number of birth charts for family, friends, and acquaintances. Some of those people thanked me profusely, claiming that I had given them a true gift of self-discovery. They did not understand why “they were the way they were”, usually meaning they were different than most others around them in some particularly important way; often in a way that had caused problems in their relationships.
Astrology helps us answer questions about our own drives and quirks that help and hinder us as we go through life and associate with other people. It helps us understand others around us who are different, yet enrich our experience on Earth. Would a Taurus love it if everyone were as practical and patient as they were? I doubt it – how else would they stand out? Who would be our leaders and stage stars without Leos? What would a world be like without Gemini talk show hosts chatting up every guest with abandon, or Cancers to be our nursing the sick back to health? We need Sagittarians to develop the causes important to our world. We all have something to teach, and something to learn.
So go get your birth chart done. Learn about yourself. Take a look at a good friend’s chart and see the differences. Open your eyes to the complexities of the world. You’ll be glad you did.
I read books, observed people I knew, and drew parallels based on their sun signs. As I observed more, I was able to see a number of patterns that matched up with astrological premises; Virgos’ unending attention to detail and self-criticism, Cancers’ moodiness and nurturing, Aquarian genius and aloofness. Pretty soon I was able to make basic analogies of my friends based on their sun sign. Lately, I have been able to guess new acquaintances’ sun sign with a high probability. I did my own birth chart online and asked my cousin, an astrology buff herself, to analyze it. As I learned more about myself, I began to see people differently. It became like a karmic realization in which the world made sense – that people made sense. I didn’t quite know what to do with it all, but I felt a little like I could see through time and space; that the world had more order than I realized, and that I was beginning to understand it.
I some cases, I am sure I have over analyzed. Like a kid with a new toy, I wanted to try out all my thoughts and observations. Astrological concepts buzzed around in my head during conversations with friends and work associates as I tried to trace their tendencies to find correlations. Most of them took it in stride, and some were quite interested. My closer friends were occasionally eroded by my growing obsession, but often asked my advice in dealing with people they had come across in their daily life. Naturally this invigorated me.
Living in Portland, one becomes used to diversity of interests, culture, and personal philosophies. Discussing astrology with most Portlanders was met with open minds if not downright immediate acceptance. In fact, many citizens of the Rose City that I came across were more than familiar with the basic facts about their sun signs, a surprising number were familiar with their birth charts. It was only when I introduced it to friends and family back East that I noticed a rise of skepticism among my listeners. Some were excited about hearing about themselves and agreeable to the generalities of a Sun sign reading, but most people didn’t want to be put in a box, often claiming that any inaccuracy meant that the whole system was a false prophecy. The lack of understanding of its interpretations and descriptions, highlighted by daily horoscopes and sound bite explanations, made convincing people to listen more difficult than getting them to accept astrological premises.
In order to learn about this system, one must first grasp the concept that astrology is not synonymous with predetermination. It might best be described as a blank slate; each of us is born with different abilities and dispositions and astrology attempts to explain and analyze this fact. It takes into account that people can and do change as they advance in life. In fact, it can help us pinpoint our weaknesses as well as our strengths. If understood, it is a roadmap to self improvement and interpersonal relationships.
Part of learning about ones astrological information is the acceptance of strengths and weaknesses. All people have weaknesses, but some who are introduced to astrology are not interested in hearing them, believing that they are perfect (at least in their eyes). “Oh no, I’m not high maintenance, it’s just that I really like my man to make me feel important.” Or, “I have an open mind, but I think nobody else does.” Astrology proclaims that we are all born with things that we can teach others and things we need to learn from others. It is a simple concept, and one that in isolation is not hard to embrace. When it becomes part of a system, one that has categories and nomenclature, it is not unusual to have people frighten with disdain that someone is attempting to sign them up for a New Age religion without their consent. However, I must admit how often I was blessed with individuals who readily admitted many of their weaknesses and faults, and were amazed to have them isolated and described. In many cases, they were relieved that they were not necessarily responsible for feeling that way, that it was perhaps hard-wired within them.
In teaching others what I have learned, I have found it best to describe my own faults first in order to put them at ease before discussing theirs. Strengths? Those are easy. Everyone wants to hear that they are friendly, smart, fun, organized, etc. But, for better or worse, Astrology is a zero-sum game. You cannot be born exceptional at all abilities; you have a composition that is a mixture of them. This mixture can be unbalanced, such as the genius musician who has trouble in social situations and cannot balance his own checking account. It can also have much balance, such as those who seem to have it all together but may not be amazing at any particular aspect of living.
The hardest part of buying into astrology is accepting that we don’t know precisely how it works. “My birth date, location, and time determines whether I am lazy or not? I don’t think so!” Well, not exactly. One astrologist refers to the currently immeasurable magnetic pull of the planetary positions as similar to radio waves; they existed in the 18th century, but we were unaware of their presence. Nevertheless, upon their discovery and measurement, we quickly put them to use in a wide variety of ways. Perhaps it shall be the same with these magnetic influences upon astrological signs.
From another angle, let’s look at the world from the top down. Mother Nature, God, Allah, or whatever Deity you claim allegiance to has organized a place that is integrated, complex, and seemingly random. Yet, as we continue to study nature, it becomes increasingly clear that chaos theory has some worth to it. Chaos theory, for those unfamiliar, is a mathematical area of study that examines complex systems, including those that appear random such as the atmosphere, to identify an underlying order. Such theories are helpful in explaining things such as global climate or the development of life on planets. The phrase “a butterfly flapping its wings over the US causes a hurricane over the Indian Ocean” is a popular analysis of this theory.
The human population is diverse not only in culture, but also in personality. Personality traits differ between men and women, but also between sisters and between brothers. This is especially noticeable between siblings of similar age and upbringing; why do two brothers, with a stable family and similar parental influences, differ in regards to these traits? There are many possible explanations, and astrology has some very valid ones. Does it not make sense for the world to be organized via a system of order that ensures a (relatively) equal number of emotional, exuberant, intellectual and practical people? If you were to design it yourself, is there a better way to do it than basing it on birth dates? Then they could be understood, studied, and embraced as humans begin to understand the system and its purpose. Based on the four elements of fire (exuberance), earth (practicality), air (intellect), and water (emotional), each of these elements controls three signs, evenly spaced out over the year so that in any four month period all elements have been represented.
Why is this difficult to believe in? It cannot be quantified - yet. In addition, the representatives, astrologers, are often people that don’t fit the mainstream. A strong dose of faith and belief is typical before diving into the Astrological realm. They often appear to be people who are a bit kooky, or odd. Weekly World News stories on the subject don’t help much either. To the untrained, astrology can appear like a substitute for religion (it is not). As a result, it has not been widely accepted in this society that has for so long been based on appearances and adherence to the conventional.
So why Astrology? If all these planets do pull on us, and affect our personalities, can’t we just learn it all on our own? Does learning about it take all the mysteries of life away? Not exactly, but in my experience, it has made many things clearer. Given the difficulties that interpersonal relationships present, that is a good thing. I have downloaded and interpreted a number of birth charts for family, friends, and acquaintances. Some of those people thanked me profusely, claiming that I had given them a true gift of self-discovery. They did not understand why “they were the way they were”, usually meaning they were different than most others around them in some particularly important way; often in a way that had caused problems in their relationships.
Astrology helps us answer questions about our own drives and quirks that help and hinder us as we go through life and associate with other people. It helps us understand others around us who are different, yet enrich our experience on Earth. Would a Taurus love it if everyone were as practical and patient as they were? I doubt it – how else would they stand out? Who would be our leaders and stage stars without Leos? What would a world be like without Gemini talk show hosts chatting up every guest with abandon, or Cancers to be our nursing the sick back to health? We need Sagittarians to develop the causes important to our world. We all have something to teach, and something to learn.
So go get your birth chart done. Learn about yourself. Take a look at a good friend’s chart and see the differences. Open your eyes to the complexities of the world. You’ll be glad you did.
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