LINK OF THE MONTH
The Orphic deity Phanes, who hatched from the cosmic egg.
He is the Source of all, which means -
HE IS YOUR SOURCE TOO.
Here are some stimulating web destinations for your amusement and wonder. I aim to feature and archive Links of the Month, so you can revisit periodically to see what I've turned up. Review my chosen Links of bygone months and years for old treasures.
* June 2009 *
Philosophical Mysticism
This website is not for the faint of intellect. It's a collection of profound thoughts and probings by Bob Wallace, a philosopher in Wisconsin who is interested in the accommodation of God, science and inner freedom. His approach is generally Platonic; it seems that his greatest depth is in Hegel studies. So if you want to work out with some deep ideas very well expressed, visit his site.
* May 2009 *
Entoptic Phenomena
I've recently renewed my fascination with entoptic phenomena, those visual anomalies that arise from unusual neural activity in various parts of the visual system, from the retina to the cortex - lightning-like streaks, flashing geometric forms, whirling tunnels. Their role in the origins of art and spirituality have been much debated in recent decades. This site provides a nice overview of some recent thought about entoptics and their cultural role.
* April 2009 *
Eleusinian Mysteries
I met Todd Swanson at a conference in Greece last year. He's a thoughtful man who has plunged deep into the study of the ancient Mysteries of Eleusis. He shares what he's learned on this website. It's a compendium of ancient quotations on the Mysteries, and, or special value, an 'index' (really a small dictionary) of relevant terms. Mysteries aren't mystifications. We need more of the former and less of the latter in modern life.
* March 2009 *
Museum of Talking Boards
One of my favourite pastimes as a child was playing with the Ouija Board. 'The spirits' informed me that I would marry someone with the initials J.S. I'm still waiting. Later, I graduated to more elaborate displays of motor automatism such as table-tilting; but the little planchette drifting over the letters and spelling out messages - whether from 'beyond' or 'within' - still has its charms. The Ouija and other 'talking boards' have a history extending over a century, and this website is a wonderful compendium of knowledge and image on the subject.
* February 2009 *
Archaeorama
When I was a child, I decided not to choose archaeology as a career because I thought that all the important stuff had already been discovered. What a dummy I was! The golden age of archaeology is NOW! With technological advances, more is being found than ever before. This web site is a useful resource in keeping abreast of the latest revelations from the past. Some of the coverage can be uncritically sensational, though (eg. the 'Jesus Bowl' recently fished out of the harbour at Alexandria), so it's always wise to review multiple sources if you're really interested in a particular find.
* January 2009 *
Leigh J. McCloskey
I met this remarkable man at a conference in the Czech Republic a couple of years ago. Leigh is a California-based actor, visual artist and filmmaker who is inspired by themes from the Western esoteric tradition. He is also a beacon of genuine human warmth, always a good sign. On this website you can sample his work (if you went to one of the Rolling Stones' concerts on their 'Bigger Bang' tour you have already seen Leigh's art onstage). I find his paintings lush and evocative - fine contemplative material for the soul on a chilly winter's night!
* December 2008 *
Non Serviam
When I was in Greece recently, I met a very impressive young woman named Sasha Chaitow. This is her website. She is a visual artist, organizer of concerts and conferences, social commentator and budding scholar of matters esoteric and metaphysical. Featured on her site are a collection of her paintings, scholarly papers, blogged observations, recommended readings and more. Visit here regularly.
* November 2008 *
Brain Mysteries
Don't believe the media - truth is, we still know very little about how the brain actually accomplishes the miracle of the human mind. Few pursuits are more stimulating than the attempt by psychologists and allied neuroscientists to figure out the mind/brain link. This website features an ongoing collection of news articles on developments in psychology with special emphasis on biopsychology. The quality of the pieces is reasonably good, but ignore the junky advertisements.
* October 2008 *
Holy Land Photos
Say, isn't every land a holy land? Sure. But this website focusses on the Judaeo-Christian turf: Greece, Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Egypt (with the rather shocking omission of Syria - road to Damascus, anyone?). It's a fine archive of images, well-organized for searching on the site map. When you're planning your next trip to the region, even in your imagination, you will find useful grist here.
* September 2008 *
Les Maquettes
Talk about a glorious obsession! Here's a fellow who became obsessed with building an accurate scale model of ancient Rome out of cardboard and polystyrene, and he did it. And went on to build models of Versailles, Babylon, and the Acropolis. In these days of digital simulation (see Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies) we should be careful not to lose our respect for people who bother to create intricate masterpieces in not-so-virtual reality, using not-so-virtual craftsmanship. You can learn a lot about these locations by touring around the 'maquettes' on this site. Bravo, I say. Then, of course, you should go to the actual locations. There ain't no substitute for being there. Not even the holodeck.
* August 2008 *
Twilight Traveler
Here is a blog where one of the finest scholars alive today (I met him a couple of months ago) pseudonymously posts his thoughts on books, movies, art, travel and whatever strikes his fancy. He is a fine and deep observer, with a subtly kinky edge I think. Make a habit of checking out this blog from time to time. Be sure to go into his archive and read his earlier posts too.
* July 2008 *
A Rome Art Lover's Web Page
Here you will find a wonderfully thorough gateway to Rome past and present. Lots of maps from various eras, thousands of images, solid discussions of history and art, frequently updated features - a terrific wealth of material on our favourite city!
* June 2008 *
What is Witchcraft?
"Witchcraft", variously defined, is alive and well and attracting media attention around the world, from Brazil to Europe, from Africa to Newfoundland. This site comprehensively collects media reports and book reviews on witchcrafty topics past and present. Under this rubric, Mr. Kimberley's site includes traditional sorcery, Satanism and neopaganism. There is opportunity for comment on the items, although few do.
* May 2008 *
Psyche: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Consciousness
Despite what some popular thinkers claim, the nature of consciousness remains one of the deepest mysteries confronting science. This electronic journal, sponsored by the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness, is where you can view the cutting edge of the discussions on consciousness today. Much of the material does require a background in philosophy and neurology to grasp fully; but you can pick up the flavour of the debates without such background. The real limitation here is that very few scholars consider that there may be insights into consciousness tucked away in pre-modern philosophical and spiritual traditions.
* April 2008 *
The Virtual Egyptian Museum
Your mummy says that you should visit this site. It's a nice resource for the Egyptophile in us all. You can view high quality photos of hundreds of lovely treasures from ancient Egypt, each accompanied by extensive, informative notes. There are also maps showing the extent of Egyptian power through the ages, lists of rulers that can be arranged in various ways (eg. by length of reign - Pepi II was the longest reigning pharaoh at over 90 years) and other resources that are under development.
* March 2008 *
Hot Library Smut
It's not what you think! This is a little site for people who are perversely excited by photos of gorgeous libraries. If the sight of floor-to-ceiling stacks of centuries-old leather-bound volumes turns your crank, then check it out. Here you will find exquisite pictures of some of the world's most ravishing book collections for your private late-night viewing pleasure. All that's missing is the ravishing fragrance of old books. They should make a scratch-and-sniff version of the site...
* February 2008 *
Collector Antiquities
This is a gateway into the wild world of online collectors of ancient artifacts. What's wild about it? It's full of shysters, that's what. Much of what is available in online auctions (especially eBay) is fake. The creator of this website, on the other hand, is one of the most respected antiquities dealers in the world, and the site (in addition to showcasing the wonderful stuff that he has for sale) gives a solid introduction to the challenges of detecting forged antiquities. Even if you're not into collecting (or, gods forbid, forging), it's a fascinating business.
* January 2008 *
eternallycool.net
Here is a site for Rome-lovers. It's a frequently updated gallery of photography and text from and about the Eternal (and eternally cool) City. It's not quite like being there - well, not at all like being there, really - but it does convey some sense of the vibrancy of daily life in Rome today. If you've been, this site will feed your yearning to return; if you've never been, you haven't fully lived and should leave my website and go order a plane ticket immediately.
* December 2007 *
The Brain From Top to Bottom
You have a brain. You really should look into it. This website is a valuable gateway to the realm of biological psychology. It is conveniently organized in several ways: by difficulty level (from beginner to advanced); by level of organization of the phenomenon being discussed (from molecular to social processes); and by topic (such as emotions, mental disorders, memory, movement, sleep and dreams, etc.). My only quibble is that the bibliographical sources of the information are not listed. But the quality of information is high, so if this site whets your appetite, you will just have to study a good biological psychology textbook and develop the research skills needed to track down scholarly references yourself. It's extremely worthwhile to develop these skills, by the way.
* November 2007 *
Traditions of Ancient Magic
The University of Michigan has a world-renowned collection of materials on ancient magic, and you can view some of its finest holdings on this website. The accompanying text gives a good brief overview of the development of magic in Late Antiquity, when all of the cultures of Mediterranean and Near Eastern civilization were linked through the Roman Empire. The spirit of these old magicians was neither orthodox nor unorthodox, but 'sub-orthodox' - they took whatever they wanted from any spiritual tradition they pleased, and combined their borrowings into unique, haunting visions. Is there a lesson in this for our own era, so torn by fanaticism?
* October 2007 *
Livius: Articles on Ancient History
Out of the Netherlands comes this fine resource for the study of antiquity. Coverage is broad, including Persia, Anatolia, Greece, Rome, Carthage, and much more. Here you can learn all about a host of topics, from ancient currencies to the Roman emperors whose memories were damned by the senate. There is a valuable archive of images. Why study such stuff? Because it helps to bring the past to life. And the past gives meaning to the present. We have a name for loss of contact with the past on an individual level: Alzheimer's Disease. Let's save our culture from succumbing to it.
* September 2007 *
The Paranormal Trickster Blog
Here is a sporadic blog by George Hansen, one of the few truly creative and insightful thinkers on extraordinary claims and weird experiences. Everyone should challenge themselves by reading his classic book, "The Trickster and the Paranormal". On this blog, George posts his sporadic observations on the paranormal and its investigators. If you're interested in the current state of parapsychology (and a sorry state it is), you need to read George - he's the sharpest commentator around.
* August 2007 *
Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary
When in Rome recently, I stumbled upon a marvellous complex of old Roman temples that turned out to be a sanctuary for abandoned cats. The volunteers there do wondrous work. In Italy the veterinary establishment opposes the sterilization of cats. This opposition - an extension of the Catholic 'pro-life' position to the world of pets - results in nothing but the production of countless thousands of unwanted animals dying slow and horrible deaths in the streets. If your relationship with non-human animals consists mainly in killing and eating them, please consider taking this opportunity to expand your link with our fellow sentient beings - lend a helping paw to the suffering cats of Italy, and everywhere.
* July 2007 *
VRoma
The main draw here is a fine archive of photo images of remnants of the ancient Roman world. Whether it's the grotto of the sibyls at Cumae or the Forum Romanum, you can find good pictures here. There is a useful on-site search engine. This site is an evolving resource, dedicated to education about Rome; if you're really enthusiastic, you can join and contribute your expertise to the site.
* June 2007 *
Vancouver International Song Institute
The acronym 'VISI' also stands for "Visionary Innovation in Song Interpretation", according to the Institute's founder, Dr. Rena Sharon. Her project is an annual convergence of those involved in the "audible soul" of music. There is both a Professional Development Stream for performers and teachers, and a Lifelong Learning Stream for non-professional performers and listeners. This is another ambitious invitation from the renowned UBC professor Dr. Sharon to live a more insightful and beautiful life. If you miss the event this year (it's coming up fast), stay tuned - if all goes well, there will be more.
* May 2007 *
ArXiv.org
Here is your gateway to the very cutting edges in physics, astrophysics, biology, non-linear systems and mathematics, run by the Cornell University Library. Yes, it's not for the faint of math. But there comes a time in the pursuit of any intellectual passion when heavy lifting is required. If it's understanding antiquity, for instance, you realize that you must study some ancient languages. If it's science, you ultimately can't escape the math; otherwise you remain at the mercy of popularizers and their distortions. Too many new agers bleat (and bleep!) on about quantum this and that without the foggiest idea. Check out this website. If you see something that intrigues you, even though you can scarcely comprehend it, your mission is clear. Fear not; your passions give you wings to help with the lifting. Approach mathematics erotically. Math is beautiful. If there is a divine language, it's got to be math.
* April 2007 *
Theurgia.org
'Theurgy' is not a familiar word to many. But anyone interested in ancient or alternative spiritualities should know about it. It derives from two Greek roots: 'theos' and 'ourgia', the former meaning 'divine', the latter meaning 'actions' - the idea is to become so attuned to the presence of the divine that all of one's actions are spiritually animated, just as an oracle is animated by a god. Theurgy was an important movement in the Roman Empire from the second century AD to the end of antiquity. Based on a series of oracular revelations and philosophically elaborated by thinkers like Iamblichus and Proclus, theurgy bore interesting resemblances to the Tantric movements within Buddhism and Hinduism (and started at about the same time). This website, which is still under development, provides English translations of several relevant ancient texts. (Look around my website for more on theurgy.)
* March 2007 *
Metanexus Magazine
This site is an online magazine about science and spirituality. It's backed by the immensely wealthy Templeton Foundation, so it's free. The site is organized into useful topical sections, the articles are well-edited and informative but not overly technical. Currently there is a good piece summarizing research into spirituality and health, another on the cognitive evolution of religious forms, another on the personalistic theism of Kurt Godel (who knew? this one surprised me - the greatest logician of the 20th century believed that he could rationally prove the existence of a personal God) and much more. The 'vibe' of the site is generally JudaeoChristian-intellectual, but not relentlessly so. Well worth a monthly visit.
* February 2007 *
Theoi Project: Guide to Greek Mythology
It's cute when children personify trees, rocks, clouds. But they're supposed to stop it when they grow up - otherwise, they may well garner the attention of a mental health professional. Our cultural norms dictate that adults should only experience the 'personal' presence of other people (and maybe of some mammals). But what if these norms actually block us from one of the most effective ways for the human mind to connect with the source of a meaningful life? Perhaps we should consider whether we might have something to learn from a society that did not define the encounter with non-human persons as intrinsically crazy or immature. There are many websites on Greek myths, but this is one of the best - a comprehensive guide to the Greeks' personifications of life's mysteries. Here you can study the lore and iconography of the gods, spirits, monsters and fabulous beasts. Ancient literary references are listed for each being. Enjoy. If you meet Pan in the woods, give him my regards.
* January 2007 *
Kiva
This is just a good idea. Poor entrepreneurs in developing countries could use modest loans to transform their own lives and benefit their community. You, because you're doing all right in one of the richest countries in the world, could easily manage to loan some money without expecting any interest. Kiva provides you with a simple and secure way to do so. A mere 25 dollar investment can help someone escape the jaws of poverty. This organization has recently garnered favourable press coverage from the CBC, BBC and New York Times. It's not a scam. Please look into it.
* December 2006 *
Emuseum Store
Some of the stuff on this site strikes me as unappealingly kitschy (of course, there are those who love kitschy things...); but a lot of it is hard-to find good quality reproductions of historic treasures. If you're looking for a statue of an Egyptian or Greco-Roman divinity (and who isn't, from time to time?), there's a good selection here. There are little ones for your desk, and big ones for your garden. There are nice Renaissance reproductions too. Even if you're not in the market, it's a fun site to browse.
* November 2006 *
LacusCurtius: A Gateway to Ancient Rome
I'm in favour of living in the past, at least part-time. Everyone should choose a couple of bygone times and places, learn everything they can about them, and thus build vast chambers of imagination for retreat, fantasy, even novelistic creation. I've checked out many websites on the world of ancient Rome. This is one of the very best. Herein is a treasury of Roman literature; an excellent set of dictionaries and other valuable research material; detailed maps of the Roman Empire; hundreds of photographs; and more. Bill Thayer, the proprietor of this site, appears regularly to be adding new material of high quality. Now go and start building that obsession.
* October 2006 *
Himalayan Art Resources
In 1799, the first Christian missionaries arrived in Tibet. They visited a Buddhist sanctuary, took one look at the paintings of fanged, flame-wreathed deities dancing on corpses, proclaimed the place a den of devil-worship, and went back to their plaster saints. But for those who are willing to search for truth wherever it hides, in both the volcanoes and the meadows of the heart, the art of Tibet has no equal in power and vividness. This website is an incredible gateway to the study of Tibetan art. There are links to the collections of dozens of major museums and art galleries worldwide, including my beloved Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto (in which I spent so much of my childhood that I became an unofficial 'mascot' of the place). Praise to Donald and Shelley Rubin of NYC for creating such a gift.
* September 2006 *
The Cave of Lascaux
In September 1940, while war ravaged Europe, four French teenagers explored a hole opened when a big pine tree fell over. They entered Lascaux Cave, an Old Stone Age sanctuary that had been lost and forgotten for tens of thousands of years. The cave is too fragile for the public to visit today (it was closed in 1963). But this French government website provides a 'virtual tour', and plenty of information. While we don't know exactly what our remote ancestors were up to down there, we can't doubt that they, like us, sensed the wondrous mystery of the cosmos (if you don't ever sense it, please get help), and that the powerful art works they left in the cavern still convey and evoke this wonder.
* August 2006 *
Kabbala Online
Now that Madonna has moved on, it's a little less embarrassing to confess an interest in Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical stream that enlivens Judaism and has brought forth intriguing Christian and occult variants. This website is physically based in Safed, Israel (which as I write this is being menaced by Hezbollah missile attacks!), the town that became the centre of kabbalistic studies after the Jews were driven from Spain in 1492. The teachings on this site are the real thing - old-style "kosher kabbala" (ie. aimed at Jews, not Christians or 'suborthodox' occultists, although all are welcome to come and learn the introductory material). There's a dictionary, a directory of sages, lots of essays, meditation exercises, and an opportunity to 'ask the kabbalist'. If you're curious about real Kabbalah, pay this site a visit.
* July 2006 *
Pathways to Ancient Myth
This site invites you to go on five virtual tours of important spiritual sites of the ancient Greek world: the Acropolis in Athens; Delphi; Dodona; Eleusis; and Olympia. For each site, the background history and mythology is provided. You must go to these places notsovirtually someday, of course. But in the meantime, check out this lovely website.
* June 2006 *
Clinic of Cultural Confusion
This is the website of my brilliant, witty friend Jay Kinney. He was one of the seminal figures in the 'underground comics' movement of the 1970s and 1980s, which helped lay the foundation for the adult-oriented comics that are globally popular today. Jay also created the late, lamented Gnosis Magazine, the best ever esoteric publication for nonspecialists. More recently, he has become one of the world's leading historians of Freemasonry. This site reflects his fascination with all things quirky, uncanny, perverse, perverted and profound. Here are samples of his notorious comic art, as well as pieces of his writing. The links are definitely worth browsing - learn about Mormons (pro and con), Leonard Cohen, and why bearded gods featured in religions around the world are wormholes into other dimensions.
* May 2006 *
Brainy Quotes
A quotation is a verbal snippet plucked from one context and dropped into another. If the process works, the meanings of the quote and its new context flavour each other, like a good pesto stirred into pasta. This site is a well-organized (A-Z) compendium of quotes for salting, sweetening and spicing your thoughts. Taste and enjoy. And remember what Goethe said: " All intelligent thoughts have already been thought; what is necessary is only to try to think them again."
* April 2006 *
OR-Live
This is a phenomenal website about surgery. It may not be your favourite thing to think about; but sooner or later, almost all of us are faced with some form of it. This site contains an archive of well-organized data about every field and type of surgery, and also does live broadcasts of surgeries. Very educational. You have a body. Look into it.
* March 2006 *
DNA and Protein Music
The late geneticist Susumu Ohno seems to have been the first person to convert the patterns found in molecular structures such as DNA into sequences of tones, and to marvel at the quasi-musical results. Lots of people are doing it now, as this website attests. It links to many sites that allow you to listen to transcribed DNA and protein structures. I'm not convinced that the significance of this sort of exercise has much to do with molecules per se - you could map any structure into the auditory domain, from snowflake crystals to lava flows to the configurations of particles in a sneeze, and the listener's mind will often respond with a tingle of inexpressible meaning and feeling. The deep question is: why do sound sequences that don't seem to refer to or mimic anything affect us in such a way? In other words, what is the power of music? Ever since Pythagoras, people have been wondering about this. Listen, and keep wondering.
* February 2006 *
Nova Roma
Some people dream about living in the past; others actually try to resurrect the past. This website is an exercise in obsession - specifically, an obsession about the ancient Republic of Rome. These folks seriously want to bring it back as a sovereign nation of the 21st century. They've even bought a beach-head in physical reality - a patch of desert in Texas, out of which may someday bloom the continuation of Rome prior to the accession of Augustus Caesar in 27 BC! The organizers wish to revive the old Roman faith, and are looking for a few good priests and priestesses. On authenticity they have their limits, however: a friend of mine raised the matter of animal sacrifice, a central rite of the old religion, and was promptly lopped from the New Roman citizenry. I'm not sure that Jove will accept brussels sprouts instead of a heifer, but it's worth a try. I'm not mocking the Nova Romans, you know. Everyone should have wondrous obsessions, and theirs seems to be a harmless and creative one. Maybe it's yours too. Check it out.
* January 2006 *
Forum Ancient Coins
If you have a passion for ancient history (and you should), you've likely visited museums and wished that you could actually touch the precious artifacts that were handled by the ancestors. Until recently, I thought that unless one was a curator or quite wealthy, opportunities for such 'skin-contact' with antiquity would be very limited. Then I discovered the world-wide market in ancient coins. Of course, you can quickly drop a fortune if you want to collect the rare ones in mint condition; but genuine ancient coins in quite good shape can be had inexpensively. In my very modest hoard, I have coins minted in ancient Alexandria, Cyzikus, Apamea, Rome, Antioch etc. that might have been touched by - who knows? - Plotinus, Iamblichus, Proclus? It's a relatively cheap thrill. Check it out. This site is one of the best places to begin.
* December 2005 *
Adherents.com
If you're interested in religions, this is a great site for browsing or research. There are lots of statistics concerning the prevalence of belief-systems around the world, including some I've never thought much about, such as Juche, the state ideology of North Korea, which meets the sociological definition of a religion. The faiths of famous people are revealed (Christopher Walken is a Methodist; Oliver Stone is a 'Jewish Anglican'). Browser's delights include a listing of Buddhist movies, and a summary of 'Tibetan Buddhism in Science Fiction'. There are links to good online archives of sacred literature.
* November 2005 *
The Witching Hours
This site looks like a labour of love and coping. Its creator describes her survival of the sort of regime of intolerance that still prevails over most of our ignorant planet, but she has transmuted her suffering into a useful collection of materials on witch-hunting in medieval / Renaissance Europe, and also in modern Africa. Here we find a collection of documents on witch-hunting, spells and potions (including recipes for the witches' salve that caused one to fly through the moonlit air to the sabbath), famous victims and perpetrators of the Hunt, and a smattering of clipped materials on witch-hunts today. The only glaring hole is the lack of reference to the 'ritual abuse' craze of the 1970s - 1990s in North America. Of course it can happen again. Keep your pitchfork sharp.
* October 2005 *
Messybeast Cat Resource Archive
Here is a great site for anyone who owns, likes, studies or is a cat. I stumbled onto this one while researching the topic of winged cats (yes, there are such things) for a lecture series. In addition to covering weird and horrid topics ("Cat Theft for Classroom Dissection Studies"), there's lots of valuable feline lore. The glossary is handy (what is a Ram Cat? a Teaser Tom?). Discussions of grief in cats, and of the dreaded euthanasia decision, are sensitive and helpful. My kitty Xanthia gives this site her Paw of Approval. You don't believe me about the winged cats? Check out the photographs on this site. And besides, my sister saw one flying in an alley in Toronto when she was a teenager.
* September 2005 *
Bryn Mawr Classical Review
This site is a tremendous resource for staying abreast of the latest classical scholarship. Competent authorities review new publications on the world of antiquity, including non-English publications, in English (which is a boon for those of us who aren't radically multilingual). The archive goes back fifteen years, and the search engine works. Why bother about long ago, you ask? Because your every thought and act are conditioned by those of your ancestors. They continue to live through you. So you should try to discern their agendas. Unless you know them, you're nothing but a finger-puppet of the dead. Yikes!
* August 2005 *
RaptureReady
You're probably aware that a movement of charismatic Christians (who like to style themselves the only "Christians", but who are in fact a small minority within the global Christian community) currently wields political clout in the U.S. out of proportion to their numbers, and that an allied movement is busy trying to achieve the same power in Canada. It's important to have insight into their mind-set. This website is a useful window. A central concept is the 'Rapture', the notion that Christ will return soon to sweep up all the saved Christians, leaving the rest of us on earth for awhile to endure various fulfillments of prophecies before Judgment Day. The website provides a Rapture Index, a "prophetic speedometer of end-time activity" based on the sum of 45 variables, from plague reports to antichrist sightings. "Witnessing tools" are for sale, including posters mocking Darwin and coffee mugs bearing slogans ("Are You Ready?"). The FAQ page answers such pressing questions as "Would God save a cloned human?" (yes!), "Is masturbation OK?" (as long as you're not thinking about your neighbour's wife! whew!), and "Is it OK for churches to hold bake sales?" (Hallelujah, yes!). These folks want to run your government. Are you ready?
* July 2005 *
The Asclepion
If you're interested in ancient healing practices, here is a good place to begin your studies. The focus of this site is ancient Greek medicine, but there is some material on Mesopotamia and Egypt, and the banner promises forthcoming additions on India, China and Rome. There are useful articles and links, and, most dramatically, a gallery of ancient medical implements, such as scalpels, hooks, forceps etc. Ever so briefly, let the imagination ponder how these tools were wielded in the ages before the dawn of anesthesiology in the nineteenth century. While ancient medicine seems not to have possessed any grand 'lost wisdom' concerning specific ailments, it did generally grasp the therapeutic importance of viewing the sufferer as a whole, not just as a body, an insight confirmed by modern empirical research on treatment outcomes.
* June 2005 *
Museum of Questionable Medical Devices
A grand testament to the limitless gullibility of the human ape. Care to try the "Foot-Operated Breast Enlarger", a sort of pump that leaves your mammary impressively bruised - and exactly the same size? For the gentlemen, there's the "Timely Warning" - you see, nocturnal emissions weaken the nervous system, but if you put this little spiked collar around your organ before retiring, those erotic dreams will never be able to drain you again! And wouldn't we all like to be able to "Eat! Eat! Eat! And always stay thin!"? Well, let's go on the "Tapeworm Diet". Ingest a few of these critters, and they will reside in our stomachs and consume those calories for us. Don't try this at home. (Be sure to check out the website's gift shop.)
* May 2005 *
Twilit Grotto: Archives of Western Esotericism
This site is worth a visit from anyone interested in esoteric matters, no matter what your level of knowledge. It's a dream-library of the esoteric all-stars, with lots of rare material - the 'Steganographia' of Trithemius, Bruno's 'De Umbris Idearum', Kircher's 'The Goddess', and much more by Dee, Agrippa, all the major magical grimoires, a couple of old translations of the 'Chaldean Oracles', etc. Only the Wilder translation of Iamblichus' 'De Mysteriis' is here though (it's inferior to the translation by Taylor and the new one by Clarke, Dillon & Hershbell).
* April 2005 *
Ancient Greek Cities
It's always the right time for a vacation in ancient Greece. This site hints at life in several ancient Greek cities, from Achaian Mycenae to classical Athens. Coverage includes history, coinage, art, monuments and maps. A comfort for the Hellenophile. And my mother was named Helen.
* March 2005 *
Vatican Museums
Popes come and go, but the astonishing cultural treasury of the Vatican remains. And this website gives you a sort of access to the millennia of art to be found in the Vatican Museums. You can go on on-line tours, check out highlighted masterpieces, and examine your favourite works with a magnifier. And your legs won't give out. It's no substitute for an actual visit, though - many of the artworks have a presence that can't be conveyed by electronic simulacra.
* February 2005 *
Hollyhock Educational Retreat Centre
This place is a dreamland on Cortes Island, a little ways up the British Columbia coast from Vancouver. All sorts of delightful, healthy and curious events are held there. If you're in need of some rejuvenation or stimulation, take a look at the range of workshops and seminars to be found at Hollyhock. The food is renowned. Although the fluffy-factor is fairly high on some of the activities (I know, look who's talking), who cares when you're nestled in such a stunning natural setting, listed by 'National Geographic Traveller' in December 2004 as one of the premier travel destinations in this province, which is one of the most beautiful regions on earth?
* January 2005 *
Lark in the Morning
It's just an online music store. But what a resource! If you're interested in percussion, for instance, there are 213 pages of instruments to choose from, ranging from Chinese dragon bells to Cajun triangles. If you're a musician, browsing this site is informative and amazing. If you're not a musician, become one. You don't have to perform for people - Lord knows, I rarely inflict my amateurish efforts on others - but having some means of musical expression is good for the soul. Grab that triangle!
* December 2004 *
Sir Isaac Newton's Alchemical Laboratory
As many of you know, Sir Isaac Newton wasn't just a great (perhaps the greatest) scientist, but a devoted explorer of alchemy and prophecy. Dr. William Newman of Indiana University has documented Newton's study of the works of the great American alchemist George Starkey, and now is actually recreating the alchemical experiments of Newton himself, within a reconstruction of Newton's laboratory. This website documents Newman's fascinating work.
* November 2004 *
Wikipedia
This is an unlikely project that seems to have succeeded very well - an encyclopedia that can be revised by anyone. You can add or edit any entry. I would have predicted that the result would have been lots of low-grade misinformation and vandalism, but instead the Wikipedia has evolved into a valuable resource. You can examine the editing history of each entry - every prior version can be checked, just in case something useful was deleted by someone. This website demonstrates that global cooperation is possible.
* October 2004 *
Digital Egypt
Ancient Egypt is a perennial interest and has conjured up countless websites; this is one of the best I've seen. Lots of high quality text, graphics and references are to be found here, including 3d reconstructions of 14 archaeological sites, coverage of major topics such as art, architecture, communication, history etc., and a gallery of maps. It's well laid out for navigation with an index. (And read Jan Assmann's 'The Mind of Ancient Egypt'.)
* September 2004 *
Babelfish
In 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', reference is made to a fish which, when inserted into the ear, can translate any language into any other. This website links with a list of internet translation engines that do a pretty impressive job of translating blocks of text between many major languages. Of course the fun part is putting a phrase through repeated translations until it has morphed amusingly. It only took a few rounds for "Hi. You have beautiful eyes." to evolve into "Zadiy. Has beautifulst the eye to wait for the part in him." OK, maybe you had to be there. Another valuable feature is a meta-dictionary that searches a small library of dictionaries for any word you ask it to. Very useful for anyone who uses language to communicate.
* August 2004 *
Space Image Libraries
There's no place like home. And it's BIG - our home the universe, that is. And it's gorgeous too. This website is well-linked to the best sources for photographic images of the planets, stars, galaxies and other structures that comprise the part of the cosmos that interacts with electromagnetic radiation, including light. This part, by the way, is only a few percent of the universe's physical being. We know almost nothing about the rest - currently known as dark energy and dark matter - except that it exists and interacts gravitationally with conventional matter and energy. Our home is a deeply mysterious place. How suitable that 'cosmos' derives from the Greek *kosmos*, a term that originally referred to an adornment. The visible cosmos is an adornment worn by the invisible. Visit this website and contemplate its outrageous beauty.
* July 2004 *
Emanuel Swedenborg
Last month I visited the cathedral in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania (not far from Philadelphia). It's a marvellous building, worth a visit for the architecture alone. But in addition, this church is an important centre of the Swedenborgian Church, an unorthodox branch of Christianity which regards the eighteenth century Swedish visionary and scientist Emanuel Swedenborg as a prophet. The folks in Bryn Athyn include excerpts from Swedenborg's voluminous writings in their scripture. I was impressed by the people I met there. The old Swede's spin on spirituality is hard to summarize; suffice it to say that if you're interested in esoteric and/or psychological views on spirituality from a Christian angle, you will be richly rewarded by looking into Swedenborg.
* June 2004 *
Tigertail Virtual Museum
When you visit this site, your computer monitor becomes an art gallery. This collection of high-quality art reproductions is arranged into five 'floors', each with a floor map so you can visit your favourite collection. The holdings are fairly extensive, with representative works from Prehistory through the Twentieth Century. The images have been carefully filtered so that they appear 'restored'. Well-informed commentary is also posted here. Don't be distracted by the quirky/lame stabs at humour, such as the claim that the museum exists at the North Pole! It's an interesting resource, worth exploring.
* May 2004 *
Iluminatornia Gnosis
The older I get, the more pictures seem word-like and words seem picture-like. On this website, I can't read the words - they're in Polish. But each picture is worth... oh, you know. Here you will find a very fine selection of beautiful and meaningful images, ranging through the domains of gnosticism, alchemy. astrology, hermeticism, Manicheism, Catharism, mysticism and anthroposophy, with an excellent sampling of visual artists too (e.g. three reproductions of Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus' are here, photographed in different lightings - how generous; but you still have to go to the Uffizi in Florence to experience the Presence of the original). A great browse.
* April 2004 *
Marsilio Ficino
Ficino was one of the most important minds of the Italian Renaissance, yet is relatively little known today. That's unfortunate, as he was largely responsible for the recovery of the wisdom traditions of the ancient world. If you have any interest in the philosophy and spirituality that lies at the root of Western civilization, you should erect a little shrine to Dr. Ficino (as he himself did to Plato). This website mainly focuses on Ficino's astrological thought, but it is a good entry point to Ficino studies. Definitely check out the essays by Angela Voss.
* March 2004 *
Plato: Journal of the International Plato Society
This website is a good resource for those who (like you!) wish to study Plato a little more seriously. Some of the best Plato scholars publish their latest work here. You already know that without an understanding of Plato, one can't have an understanding of Western or Islamic civilization. If you're just starting your Plato studies, you might want to check out my January 2002 'Link of the Month' too.
* February 2004 *
The Gnostic Society Library
The popularity of Dan Brown's potboiler 'The Da Vinci Code' has alerted a lot of people to the historical importance and possible current relevance of ancient 'alternative Christianities' and other lost spiritualities. For those who wish to go beyond the novel into the real thing, this website is a good start, as its creators have conveniently uploaded translations of many important texts, including the entire Nag Hammadi Library and rare samples of Manichean, Mandean and Cathar works, with some examples from the Corpus Hermeticum thrown in too, and nonspecialist-friendly essays. It would be nice to have some critical perspectives included on the site for balance, but you can find them elsewhere.
* January 2004 *
Website of David Ulansey
David is a professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies, one of the more solid academies of serious alternative reality studies in North America. And David himself is one of the world's leading authorities on the ancient mystery religion called Mithraism. His website draws me for three reasons. First, some of his own writings are posted. Second, he has a large set of intriguing and varied links to useful resources on matters ranging from the esoteric to the environmental. Third, he has created a little work of online art called 'Gnostalgia' that I find oddly compelling. Check it out.
* December 2003 *
Ancient Astrology and Divination
When studying occult matters, I find it valuable to alternate between a skeptical (not cynical) and a sympathetic (not credulous) view. It's like looking at something with both eyes - it enables you to see the depth. Here is a useful resource for exploring the ancient roots of Western esotericism. It is primarily a set of links to other resources - websites, essays, books and reviews - but a rich set it is. The main focus is Greco-Roman, but there are uncommon tidbits from Mesopotamian, Jewish, Byzantine, Etruscan and even Hittite perspectives. In addition to specifically divinatory and astrological materials, there are links to resources on ancient magic too.
* November 2003 *
Cool Illusions
Here we have a fine collection of visual illusions that you can enjoy on your computer monitor, compiled by renowned Psychology educator Dr. Con Rea. They're fun, they're cool, but they also raise the profound issue of the frailty of the senses. We base our lives on trusting that our senses provide us with a generally complete picture of the world around us. But illusions give us a glimpse of the fact that our perceptions are not direct experiences of reality at all, but constructions arising from processes within the central nervous system. The actual source and substance of reality remains beyond the senses, untouched and mysterious.
* October 2003 *
Project Censored
This is a well-known website that highlights some of the most significant news events that the mainstream media, for some strange and unfathomable reason, tend to neglect. Each year, Project Censored puts out a list of the top 25 'censored' stories with commentary. At present, the 2002-2003 list is featured. It's rather Americacentric, but well worth browsing. The #1 item on the list: "Neoconservative Plan for Global Dominance"! That's hardly a truly 'censored' story; most thoughtful people know the general idea. But the details are interesting. Check it out.
* September 2003 *
Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica
The BPH, also known as the J.R. Ritman Library, is located in Amsterdam. It is likely the finest collection of esoteric literature in the world. Take the tour of the Library on this website - room after room of bookshelves full of centuries-old texts looks like heaven to me. This site has very fine on-line exhibitions, such as "Focus on Creation: Platonic, Gnostic, Judaeo-Christian and Hermetic Creation Stories in MS and Books of the BPH". The site is a maze of esoteric images and words - a must-visit for anyone with these interests.
* August 2003 *
Sarlo's Guru Rating Service
I don't know who Sarlo is, but his site is funny and irreverent and intelligent. He has collected information on hundreds of spiritual teachers (mostly contemporary, with a few oldies like Jesus and Bodhidharma thrown in), and rated many of them on a five-point scale firmly grounded on "Sarlo"'s personal perceptions, foibles and biases. His four main categories are Devotion, Advaita, Middle Path, and Fringe, with an additional listing of many unrated teachers. His own teacher (the late Osho, still better known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh) is included, and is rated highly. Peruse for amusement and/or insight.
* July 2003 *
Lapis Magazine
In the alchemical tradition, the goal of the work was the acquisition of the lapis philosophorum, the Stone of the Philosophers that can turn leaden things to gold (akin to the "wish-fulfilling gem" of Mahayana Buddhism). Lapis is also a magazine that was published in print by the New York Open Center for several years. After a hiatus, it is now online, and praise be - there is nothing quite like it. As the Utne Reader put it, Lapis "blends the Western mind with an ancient sense of soul." At present, the available articles are limited, but expect regular appearances of new material. Note the pithy opening quote. Stay tuned, visit regularly.
* June 2003 *
Harmonicity
Boethius (c. 480-524 AD) divided the world of music into three parts: musica instrumentalis, or vocal and instrumental music; musica humana, the music of the human body and soul; and musica mundana, the music of the spheres that fills the entire universe with harmony. Today, most people know only of the first sort of music. Here is a fabulous resource for expanding our knowledge and appreciation of music. Music history, technology, theory, instruments, sheet music, books, news, from ancient Greek to hip hop - the site is an open door. Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.
* May 2003 *
Biblioteca Arcana
Some just read about it. Others do it. With respect to the philosophy, spirituality and magic of ancient Greece and Rome, "doing it" nowadays is exceedingly rare. This website is an archive of fascinating articles that breathe new life into the real Old Time Religion. Here are instructions for the creation and use of a 'kolossos', a sort of ancient Greek voodoo doll; advice on divination by examining the livers of sacrificed animals (please don't use neighbours' pets); texts of ceremonies that mingle modern occult practices with those of antiquity; hymns and poetry, old and new; book reviews, links and much more. The classical scholarship informing the contents of this site is solid.
* April 2003 *
Patron Saints
Who doesn't feel like they could use some friends in high places nowadays? Well, here they are - all 4417 Roman Catholic saints (probably more by the time you read this, the way Pope John Paul II is cranking them out). This site gives their biographies, prayers and days, and cross-references them by topic. Very handy! Troubled by rabid dogs? Call on St. Sithney. Geese getting you down? St. Gall will help. Before your next whale-hunt, beseech St. Brendan. St. Bibiana for hangovers. St. Christina the Astonishing (who had to avoid people because she could smell the stink of their sins) for insanity. St. Joseph for anticommunists. St. Hilary for backward children. Canadians get St. George (but we have to share him with Boy Scouts, butchers, knights and lepers); Icelanders get St. Thorlac Thorhallsson of course. Americans get three saints, including Our Lady of the Milk and Happy Delivery. Iraqis, according to this website, get none. There are no saints listed to aid with regime change, weapons of mass destruction or violating international law. But keep checking.
* March 2003 *
The Shrine of the Goddess Athena
This site is the beautiful obsession of Roy George, a devotee of the ancient Greek personification of wisdom. Check out his museum, an image collection of temples, sculptures, paintings, vases, coins and texts on Athena from around the world - including photos of a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee! The site also features a useful atlas, encyclopedia of Greco-Roman spirituality and timeline. And for the cyberspiritual, there is an online shrine of the goddess that you can navigate with your mouse.
* February 2003 *
World Database of Happiness
Dr. Ruut Veenhoven of the University of Utrecht has done us all a favour by creating this resource for accessing the scientific research on "subjective appreciation of life", commonly known as "happiness". You might think that something as personal as feeling happy might lie beyond the nets of science. But no - Dr. Veenhoven lists 522 measures that have been used in 3,422 published studies. The best part of the site is the ranking of the "average happiness" of 67 nations during the 1990s. Top five: Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, Luxembourg, Canada! Clearly there's an upside to living in militarily weak and politically insignificant countries. The five saddest nations in the study: Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, and, saddest of all - Moldavia. (Note that Africa was under-represented in the survey - no Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia.) So, don't worry - just yodel a happy tune! Then please fill out this questionnaire...
* January 2003 *
Website of Karen-Claire Voss
Ms. Voss, an independent scholar currently residing in Istanbul, offers a generous collection of articles and links on her website. Her writings on a wide range of topics are archived here, including alchemy, spiritual imagination, mysticism, 'feminine' gnosis, esotericism, embodiment, and more. A good set of links for those researching esoteric topics is also available. She is the co-director of the Hermetic Academy, an international group of scholars with serious esoteric interests, and the Academy's online journal Hermes is here too. Support your local independent scholars!
* December 2002 *
The Trickster and the Paranormal
I've always been intrigued by weird stuff - UFOs, ESP, monster sightings, spirit possession, etc. I even wrote a book about it (what? you don't yet own a copy?! then proceed to the "Books" link on my website!). Efforts to "explain" or "explain away" the hodepodge of life's weirdness, from either critical or credulous angles, never seem quite adequate. George Hansen is one of the most profound theorists in this realm. He argues that the slipperiness of paranormal phenomena is intrinsic to their nature - they simply don't occur under conditions that would render them provable. On this website (and in his fine book on the subject), he elucidates the connections between the paranormal and the blurry corners of life, which are the domain of the classical trickster-god Hermes. He also offers a good set of links for those who are exploring paranormal topics.
* November 2002 *
OrcaLive
Johnstone Strait, a stretch of water between northern Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, is a renowned habitat for orcas ("killer whales", for those who aren't from around here). Some enterprising biologists have positioned a camera and microphone in the Strait and hooked them to this website, so you can have a live fish's-eye view of the undersea action. You can expand the webcam image to fill your computer screen - it's like having one window of your house looking into the ocean. By day greenish light filters through the water; watch the seaweed sway in the current, hear the occasional powerboat roar overhead, and sometimes catch a majestic orca sweeping past. I like it even better at night - the screen is pitch-black, but the voices of the deep are so loud they would drown out the cacophony of a tropical rainforest. These beings are our neighbours, our relatives, other hairs on the same head as us.
* October 2002 *
Allan Randall's Website
Ancient philosophy and modern physics are both profound paths of inquiry into the nature of reality. Whatever the relationships between these fields may be, many recent attempts to compare them have been pretty fluffy, usually because the people doing the comparing don't have a good grasp of either end of the comparison (but I won't name names, Deepak). Allan Randall, a philosopher living in Toronto, is one of the few who show real understanding of today's physics and yesterday's wisdom. His personal website has some very educational and creative material - see, for instance, his recommendations on basic studies of relativity and quantum mechanics, and his essay comparing the thought of the Presocratic philosopher Parmenides and the "many worlds" interpretation of quantum mechanics. (Admittedly, Mr. Randall doesn't have a touch for the esoteric aspects of Parmenides, but his rigourous rationalist angle is refreshing nonetheless.)
* September 2002 *
Circlemakers
Do you have something special to express to the world? Would you like to fulfil your artistic impulses while appeasing your inner vandal? Why not say it with crop circles? Here is a website dedicated to this odd pursuit. Since things got rolling in England in the early 1980s, circlemakers have been busy around the world, and this site is a fine introduction to their activities, achievements and, yes, methods. You too can have your handiwork taken for a sign of alien intelligence or the mark of an atmospheric anomaly. You might even win "Site of the Year"! But the competition is stiff - see the galleries of gorgeous photos here.
* August 2002 *
The Pomegranate: The Journal of Pagan Studies
The neopagan movement has generally featured more romantic sentiment than intellectual rigour. Unfortunate, as there is such a rich tradition of pagan thought that many neopagans know little or nothing about. This journal is an attempt to support the development of modern neopagan scholarship. It is a refereed journal, and its tone is refreshingly critical of the literal/mythical confusions that have dominated middlebrow neopagan literature. It is not an on-line publication, but does have complete selected articles available on this site. If you like what you see, subscribe and support.
* July 2002 *
Esoterica: The Journal
From Michigan State University comes this on-line journal. The quality of the articles is high, and the research and teaching links are useful. Keep an eye on the Newsletter for developments in academic esoteric studies.
* June 2002 *
The Alchemy Website and Virtual Library
The lead-into-gold set can be proud - this is one of the finest sites in the entire Web. It is a compendious resource for the study of alchemy, including galleries of images, articles, courses, historical timelines, and links. Valuable for beginning and advanced students.
* May 2002 *
Ship of Fools
Here is your gateway to some of the more amusing and peculiar reaches of modern Christianity. You can use the "Biblical Curse Generator" to spice up your retorts, courtesy of Old Testament prophets. You can sample church services from around the world, reviewed as if they were pop music concerts. You simply MUST check out the product reviews of "Gadgets for God" (e.g. the "Fire Bible", an edition of the Good Book that spouts flames when you open it; "Plaguedomes", a set of snowdomes that depict various punishments for sinners; and the "Pet-Baptizing Kit"). And don't miss "Fruitcake Zone", links to odd Christian sites (e.g. "Liberated Christians", a congregation firmly opposed to monogamy; "Satan's ABCs of Child Destruction", which proves that the Harry Potter books are demonically inspired; and the indispensable "Christian Guide to Small Arms"). Christianity sure is a big tent - there's something for everyone.
* April 2002 *
Forum Romanum
This site manages to convey a little of the spirit of imperial Rome. Whether or not you plan ever to visit Rome one day (and of course you should), do check out the "virtual tour" of the Forum, the heart of antique Rome. This website is a gold-mine of information on ancient Mediterranean civilization, featuring a marvellous archive of images and extensive links to resources on many aspects of Greco-Roman life. Want to learn Latin? You know you do! All you need is here. And the "Strange Fact of the Week" is a must.
* March 2002 *
The Forgotten Books of Eden
The contents of the Bible weren't finalized until late in the fourth century A.D. A conference of Catholic editors decided what was in and what was out. Most of us know what made the cut; but many of us have never seen what was excised and suppressed - the lost texts of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. This website provides a good sample of the writings that the fathers of conventional Christianity never wanted you to know about, such as: The Books of Adam and Eve (detailing their experiences after leaving Eden); The Testament of Abraham; The Books of Enoch (describing his visionary visit to heaven); The Infancy Gospels of Christ; The Shepherd of Hermas (the autobiography of a second-century Catholic shaman); and more.
* February 2002 *
Space Weather
Let's chat about the weather. Think it will rain tomorrow? What a geomagnetic storm we had last week, eh? How about them sunspots? This site will expand your awareness of the cosmic neighbourhood you live in, as it provides current reports on the changing conditions in the solar system. Of special interest may be the monitoring of PHAs ("potentially hazardous asteroids"), one of which will very likely hit the earth someday, wiping out human life. "On 27 Jan 2002 there were 373 known PHAs."
* January 2002 *
Plato and his Dialogues
This site is a good introduction to the most important philosopher in Western history, including summaries of his writings, biographical and historical information, and maps of the ancient world. Alfred North Whitehead wrote that the entire history of Western philosophy could be properly regarded as "footnotes to Plato", so we shouldn't pretend to be educated unless we've dusted the old guy off and given him due consideration.