Good Night and Good Luck - Reminder to Defend Freedom of the Press

Here in the Philippines, we have just finished a national election. There are allegations of massive fraud and cheating. Some 130 people have been killed in election-related violence. The Mass Media, or at least some of them, are trying to inform the people of all the cheating and violence going on in an effort to have a relatively fair election. The Mass Media, especially Broadcast Journalism, is again being tested. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC), even asked the TV stations to stop doing its own counting of the votes.


One TV station protested and made a lot of noise. But it was really all sound and fury signifying nothing because that station, and its rival station, had already stopped its own Media Counts the day before the COMELEC order.


In May 2006, I wrote a review of the film Good Night, and Good Luck in Mr. & Ms. magazine. At that time, the country was reeling from a State of Emergency proclaimed by the President. The just concluded election (the counting is only partially finished) is seen as a referendum on the President, widely perceived as having authoritarian tendencies.
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Murrow, McCarthy, Clooney and Freedom


"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty."
- Edward Roscoe Murrow

Martial Law is long gone but we must never forget it. The McCarthy witch-hunt is a thing of the past, but as the movie Good Night and Good Luck (2005) showed, the world should constantly be reminded of it to prevent the same from happening again.

The timing of the movie is near-perfect. Americans have surrendered some of their freedoms in the name of President Bush’s War on Terror through the Patriot Act. In the Philippines, the proclamation of a State of Emergency (PP 1017) has shown to all and sundry that the freedoms the Filipinos regained in EDSA 1986 could easily be lost again.

Good Night and Good Luck is a beautifully crafted film that stuck to the basics of great filmmaking – a good, tight story, great mise-en-scène, marvelous performances by the actors and coherent direction. No frills, no state of the art computer graphics, no multi-million dollar superstars. But the genius of the director – George Clooney –lies in his use of TV film footage of Senator Joseph McCarthy in lieu of a live actor. And because the film is in Black and White (it was actually shot in color but converted to grey scale), the old McCarthy footage fell right in place.

Veteran actor David Strathairn played Edward Murrow with stoic intensity reminiscent of Gary Cooper. George Clooney’s nonchalant under-acting complemented Strathairn’s stark portrayal of the man who helped rid America of the junior senator from Wisconsin, who fanned the anti-communist hysteria and led the witch-hunt that destroyed the lives of many intelligent, freedom-loving Americans.

The film is not about the life of the popular and pioneering broadcast journalist Edward Murrow but rather on broadcast journalism itself. In the speech that bookends the film, Murrow emphasized that television, used strictly for entertainment rather than education, is nothing more than wires and lights in a box. The movie showed how free and responsible journalism can fight the enemies of Freedom just as Murrow and company fought the Terror known as McCarthyism or the Red Scare that gripped America in the early 1950s.

Although the film did not mention it, Senator McCarthy did not do it all alone. The road had been paved for him by Truman, Nixon, etc. He also had help from the country’s foremost anti-Communist, J. Edgar Hoover, who was America’s lifetime FBI director. Ironically, one of McCarthy’s allies was Jack Anderson, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and is now considered as one of the fathers of modern investigative journalism. McCarthy certainly was not alone. He was simply the eager spokesman / henchman.

Media’s functions

Mass media perform four functions: to entertain, to inform, to influence and to earn money. Most films nowadays limit themselves to the first and the last. But the nominees in this year’s OSCARs seem to indicate that the Hollywood artists themselves prefer films that inform and influence.

Good Night and Good Luck is almost a documentary. It is based on true events and verifiable facts. It is a great film on Journalism, especially Broadcast Journalism as well as on the Bill of Rights, its supporters and opponents.

The magic of cinema can influence more people than say, a novel. In this case, it will do the world a great service if this film can influence people, especially in places where the people need to be reminded of the precious concept called Freedom, particularly freedom from fear. Writer/Actor/Director George Clooney expressed the hope that the film might give some kids “some understanding of what and how dangerous a democracy can be if fear is used as a weapon."

Media’s Role in Democracies

In a representative democracy, the government is supposed to be “of the people, by the people and for the people.” The leaders are elected by the people. If the leaders do their job well, they get re-elected and if not, they lose. The only way for the people to know if the leaders are doing their job well or not is through the mass media.

Mass media’s role, therefore, is very crucial in representative democracies. Thus, the US Constitution’s First Amendment prohibits any laws “abridging the freedom of the press.” The Philippine Constitution of 1986 has a similar provision. Article III of the Constitution presents the Bill of Rights, namely:

Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

Section 3. (1) The privacy of communication and correspondence shall be inviolable except upon lawful order of the court, or when public safety or order requires otherwise, as prescribed by law…

Section 4. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

The framers of the Constitution made sure that the English construction is very simple so there would be no mis-interpretations. Yet it seems that the country’s government and/or police force do not understand these simple words.

The freedom to peaceably assemble is practically gone now through the implementation of the “no permit no rally” rule. The right to assemble and the right to express one’s grievances are basic in any democratic society.

The government, since PP1017, continues to warn media to follow government guidelines or else risk takeover. The office of one newspaper was raided and was about to be taken over if not for the resistance put up by its feisty publisher and the howls of protests from media people.

The acclaimed Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) was threatened with arrests because of its web log (blog). The Philippine government now wants to extend its claws even into Cyberspace.

The freedom from unlawful (warrant-less) searches and arrests is now gone. The arrests without warrant of Prof. Randy David, a respected media personality and activist Congresswoman Rissa Hontiveros-Baraquel – on nationwide TV – are unconstitutional.

Prof. David and his companions were arrested for marching in the streets on their way to a rally that would commemorate the 20th anniversary of the EDSA “revolution”. Rep. Hontiveros-Baraquel was arrested for the same offense but this time, for commemorating International Women’s Day.

Anybody can be arrested for rebellion because, as the government officials say, rebellion is a continuing crime and therefore needs no warrant. Five party-list representatives holed themselves up in the halls of Congress for fear of being arrested by the police.

Situations of Fear

In the 1950s, McCarthy instilled fear among Americans by claiming he had a list that contained the names of American communists.

In the Philippines in March 2006, presidential troubleshooter Michael Defensor announced that there is a list of all people who will be charged with rebellion or sedition or inciting to sedition. And just as it was in America of the 50s, everybody is suspect. Anybody can be “invited” by the police for investigation.

Murrow argued that the line between investigation and persecution is a fine one and McCarthy crossed that line. Murrow and his fellow journalists decided to fight, whatever the consequences, the “situations of fear” that confronted America then.

In today’s Philippines, the media has repeatedly warned about the “chilling effect” of the government’s actions. Perhaps the film Good Night and Good Luck can inform and influence the Filipinos of all persuasions so they can pause and ponder at what they
are doing to the country.

Plato envisioned the ideal Republic to be ruled by philosopher-kings. But in a political arena filled with demagogues, military and police generals, actors, basketball players and newscasters, the Philippine Republic would be hard put to find a philosopher - king/queen.

However, a Scandinavian proverb says: ”In each of us there is a king. Speak to him and he will come forth.” Murrow and his colleagues sought out the kings/queens in themselves and helped bring back the ideals of the American Republic as envisioned by Thomas Jefferson et al.

New Age writer Marilyn Ferguson in The Aquarian Conspiracy notes: “Politics of spirit, mind, body, society…The new political awareness has little to do with parties or ideologies. Its constituents don’t come in blocs. Power that is never surrendered by the individual cannot be brokered…Power to the People. One by one by one.”

EDSA 1986 taught us People Power. One plus one plus one can add up to millions.

The Astrological Moon

Most people are familiar with Sun-Sign astrology. When a person says s/he is a Sagittarian, it means that when s/he was born, the Sun was in (under the influence of) the constellation Sagittarius. There is, however, another very important planetary body in our solar system – the Moon, Earth’s closest neighbor.

The Sun is 93 million miles away from the Earth. The Moon, on the other hand, is just around 253 thousand miles away. The Earth revolves around the Sun, but the Moon does not just revolve around the Earth. Both the Earth and the Moon revolve around a common center of gravity called the barycenter. The Moon is more than just a satellite of the Earth. The Moon is more like Earth’s smaller twin planet.

The Moon’s influence on the tides, on the migratory paths of birds, and on animal and human behavior is very well documented. Astrologers consider the position of the Moon at one’s birth just as important as the Sun’s position. Some people consider Moon-Sign astrology as a better gauge of the character of a person.

Astrological Charts and Aspects

An astrological chart is a snapshot of the cosmos at any given time and place. From the chart, one can see the angular relationships of the various heavenly bodies. For example, if Mars and Saturn are separated by zero to 8 degrees, they are said to be in conjunction. Physically, this means that from the vantage point of the Earth, both planets appear to be close together. The combined gravitational and other effects of these planets will certainly affect the Earth and its inhabitants in some ways. By looking at a chart, the astrologer can say how these planets will affect the person concerned. If two planets are separated by 180 degrees, they are said to be in opposition. Physically, this means that both planets are in opposite sides of the earth. Thus, the Earth and its beings are affected by two planetary forces in opposite directions. These angular relationships are called Aspects.

Electional Astrology

Astrologers believe that the Moon has very strong influence on Earthlings. As the fastest moving planetary body, the Moon is of utmost importance in Electional Astrology. Electional astrology is the approach used by astrologers to determine the most opportune time for endeavors or actions.

For predicting outcomes, the astrologer creates the progression chart for a future event. For example, if one wants to know who will win in the next Pacquiao fight, the astrologer looks at the chart of the specific date of the fight, and will study the characteristics of the planetary bodies, especially the Moon.

If somebody wants to ask a specific question, the astrologer builds the chart for the very moment the question is being asked. This is called horary astrology. In horary, predictive and electional astrology, the Moon’s characteristics – i.e., its House position, phase, aspects and Sign, are of utmost importance.

Void-of-Course

From ancient times, astrologers noticed that as the it passes from one Zodiac sign to another, there is a period when the Moon is “aspect-less”; i.e., it has no aspects with other planets. The astrologers have observed that this aspect-less period of the moon is quite inauspicious for Earthlings.

Every two and half days, the Moon does not make any aspects to any planet while moving from one sign and entering another. This period can range from a few minutes to a couple of days. When this happens, the Moon is said to be void-of-course.

If a person wants to know how an event or project will turn out, the astrologer would cast a chart and study the sign and aspects of the Moon. If the Moon has no aspects, then the project or event would have practically no outcome; i.e., it would come to nothing.

When the moon is void-of course, astrologers suggest that no important business should be planned or initiated. Even sending important e-mails or registered mails or faxes or making important calls are not advised. Most, if not all, actions started and / or made during the void-of-course moon would come to naught.

During this period, it is common for people to have many seemingly great ideas which would later turn out to be quite mediocre. For first time endeavors such as a first date or a job interview, it is advised not to do them on a Void-of Course Moon. As for weddings, unless you want the marriage to be annulled at a later date, better do it on another day.

According to astrological reports in the United States, one out of two major presidential candidates was nominated during the Void-of-Course Moon. George W. Bush seems to know all about the void-of-course Moon. He was twice nominated on a “good” Moon while his opponents Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004 were both nominated on a Void-of-Course Moon.

Time for Meditation

An aspect-less Moon is a good time to meditate, pray or study. The Mind goes inward during the void-of-course Moon. During this period, one usually feels relaxed, detached or even “spaced out”. Listening to Mind-Programming tapes or classical music, reading literature, watching movies, cleaning up the house or the car are just some of the things that one should do during the Void-of-Course Moon.

Sometimes the blame for unsuccessful undertakings lies not in us humans, but in the stars; or, in this case, the Moon.

This December’s Moon

December 2005 starts with a dynamic New Moon in Sagittarius. For those who want to start a project or a business, do it during a New Moon. The Moon makes a T-square with Mars and Jupiter on December 6. T-squares are difficult aspects, thus it would be better to simply relax on this day. Better make it a one and a half-day holiday as the Moon is void up to the 7th at 1:45 pm. The Full Moon is on the 16th but start your day after lunch when the Moon is no longer void-of-course. The week-end of December 17-18 should be a time for relaxation and recreation. The Moon is void-of-course for the weekend but on the 17th, the Moon forms a Grand Trine with Uranus and Jupiter. A grand trine aspect usually signifies a grand time. This may be the perfect time to bring the office staff on an outdoor trip or the family to a Christmas week-end out-of-town.



A “Mystic Rectangle” aspect oversees the Winter Solstice on the 22nd. Winter solstice is a time of celebration for most ancient and traditional cultures of the Northern hemisphere. The Mystic Rectangle aspect promotes the best use of one’s potentials. If you have an important date for December, do it on this day. A post-Christmas rest would best be done from the afternoon of the 27th up to the following day, or you can simply ride out the Void-of-course Moon. This month not only begins with a New Moon but ends with it as well. New Year’s Eve celebration will therefore be done during the New Moon, which is quite auspicious for the coming year.

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Published in Mr. & Ms. Magazine, Supermonthly of the Body, Mind and Spirit, December 2005
(with different images)

Eve, the First Woman, Wife and Mother

Today is Mother’s Day in many countries including U.S.A. and the Philippines. May all Mothers bring out the best in their husbands and children while living up to their own full potential. Below is an article I wrote for The Philippine Post on December 14, 1999. It is about Eve, the Mother of all the Living.

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Eve, the Mother of all the Living


”The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.” (Genesis 3:20)

Muslim women enjoy such a bad press in non-Muslim societies. They are pictured as suffering martyrs with no rights of their own, second-class citizens in their own societies. Any proofs to the contrary are usually ignored.

But it would be interesting to know how the Jews, Christians and Muslims regard Eve, the first woman. (The story of Adam and Eve is not universal. Only these three groups believe in it.). All three religions believe that God created Adam and Eve, the first humans. For the Jew and Christians, Eve was made out of Adam’s ribs. (”…This one shall be called ‘woman’, for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.” Genesis 2:23)

All 3 religions also believe in The Temptation and the subsequent Fall of the First Humans. But herein lies the difference. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the serpent “who was the most cunning of all the animals that the Lord God had made” tempted Eve to partake of the Forbidden Fruit. “So she took some of its fruits and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6) When God asked Adam about it, he replied: “The woman whom you put here with me — she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.”

God then “banned (the serpent) from all animals and from all wild creatures” and to crawl on its belly and eat dirt forever. And God said: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”

And God said to Eve: “I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing; in pain shall you bring forth children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall be your master.” (Genesis 3: 12-16)

In contrast, the Qur’anic version is thus: “O Adam dwell with your wife in the Garden and enjoy as you wish but approach not this tree or you run into harm and transgression. Then Satan whispered to them in order to reveal to them their shame that was hidden from them…”(Qur’an vii: 19-20)’ When asked by God of their violation of His command, “They (Adam and Eve) said: ‘Our Lord we have wronged our own souls and if Thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost’ ” (vii : 23). God then said: “Get ye down, Both of you,– all together (including Satan), From the Garden, with enmity to one another: but if, as is sure, there come to you Guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery.” (xx: 123)

The contrast is very clear. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Eve was to be blamed for the Fall, for which God punished all women with the pain of childbirth and subservience to their husband-master. God also decreed enmity between the woman and the serpent.

On the other hand, the Qur’anic Eve was not blamed at all. Both she and Adam shared the act and were both punished. God decreed enmity between Adam and Eve (mankind) on the one hand, and Satan on the other.

MICHELANGELO’S ADAM and EVE

In Judeo-Christian tradition, Eve was the cause of man’s fall from Paradise and that she and her kind deserve the worst. In the Bible (Sirach 25:18-23), it says: “There is scarce any evil like that in a woman; may she fall to the lot of the sinner!…..In woman was sin’s beginning, and because of her, we all die.”

Jewish Rabbis listed nine curses inflicted on women as a result of Eve’s succumbing to Temptation: “To the woman He gave nine curses and death: the burden of the blood of menstruation and the blood of virginity; the burden of pregnancy; the burden of childbirth; the burden of bringing up the children; her head is covered as one in mourning; she pierces her ear like a permanent slave or slave girl who serves her master; she is not to be believed as a witness; and after everything–death.”

To the present day, orthodox Jewish men in their daily morning prayer recite: “Blessed be God King of the universe that Thou has not made me a woman.”

For Christians, Eve’s fault was truly great because it was the Original Sin, which their descendants bore and for which the Son of God had to be sacrificed on the cross.

The foremost Christian thinker St. Paul had this to say: “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I don’t permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner”(I Timothy 2:11-14).

St. Tertullian was even more blunt than St. Paul. While he was talking to his ‘best beloved sisters’ in the faith, he said: “Do you not know that you are each an Eve? The sentence of God on this sex of yours lives in this age: the guilt must of necessity live too. You are the Devil’s gateway: You are the unsealer of the forbidden tree: You are the first deserter of the divine law: You are she who persuaded him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You destroyed so easily God’s image, man. On account of your desert even the Son of God had to die.”

St. Augustine has this to say about Eve and her kind: “What is the difference whether it is in a wife or a mother, it is still Eve the temptress that we must beware of in any woman…I fail to see what use woman can be to man, if one excludes the function of bearing children.”

Poor Eve, she was / is blamed for everything while her husband, and partner-in-crime remains unscathed.

Nowhere in the Qur’an can one find anything degrading about Eve or women in general. In the Qur’an, it says: “He (God) it is who did create you from a single soul and therefrom did create his mate, that he might dwell in her (in love)…” (vii : 189)

From the holy books, it is clear who regards women as second-class or even worst-class beings. Eve, the first woman and the mother of mothers, is reviled in Judaeo-Christian literature. She was the archetypal Siren, the Temptress, the Enchantress. She was the cause of Man’s fall from Grace and loss of Immortality.

It can fairly be said that how one regards the First Woman is how one regards ALL women.

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J. Ashley Abbas (2007) [except for the images]

Sexual Kung Fu: Transcendent Orgasm

by Jamal Ashley Abbas


To come or not to come (?), that is the question that concerns practitioners of Taoist sexual kung fu. In Taoism, the life force energy is hugely concentrated in the male semen. The conservation of this energy is thus imperative. For monks, celibacy is the traditional way but there is a more practical way – the path of the Seminal and Ovarian Kung Fu.

Western Practice

Although the Judaeo-Christian tradition relegates women to the background in terms of sexual

prowess, Western practice through the ages shows otherwise.

In Greco-Roman mythology, Zeus/Jupiter punished a mortal seer for daring to say that women were the better lovers. The seer reasoned that women could enjoy sex better and longer because they could come or have orgasms many times more than men could.

And the best proof for that is Singaporean-American Annabel Chong’s record-setting feat of having sexual intercourse with 251 men in 10 hours. The feat was done in January 1995 in Los Angeles. It was documented by video and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World

Annabel Chong

Records.

While Western (and Western-influenced) men blame Eve for the Fall of Humankind from Eden, they would not acknowledge women superiority in terms of sexual endurance and stamina. The amorous exploits of Don Juan, Cassanova and their like are kept alive in literature, films and other mass media products.

Eastern Concepts

The Tao Te Ching is the bible of Taoism, which was compiled around 400 BC, two centuries after the death of its foremost proponent, Lao Tzu. By following the Tao (the Path or the Way), one can achieve harmony in the Universe. The Way is the balance of opposites – the Yang, the Male or Active Principle and the Yin, the Female or Passive Principle. Man is mostly Yang and Woman is mostly Yin. To achieve harmony, Man needs the female force while Woman needs the male force. The exchange of these Life Forces occurs during sexual union and peaks during orgasms. 

The Book of the Tao predates other famous sexual treatises like the Kama Sutra of ancient India, the Ananga Ranga of Mughal (15th/16th century) India and the Perfumed Garden of Muslim Arabia.

What sets out the Tao from the other tomes is its concept of the seminal and ovarian fluids as storage of the vital force or qi (pronounced chi). Both males and females ejaculate during orgasm. But while the males spew out their semen-essence, the females retain their bodily fluids within and even get the males’ fluids. Thus, while the males lose their vital energy, the females get even stronger from their own orgasmic secretions and the males’ powerful seminal fluids.

Sex Hormones

Sex hormones are what transform girls into full-bodied women and boys into muscled and bearded or mustachioed men.

Most of the sex hormones are produced by the testes and the ovaries. The principal hormones produced are the testosterone for males and estrogen for females. But the adrenal glands, which sit atop the kidneys, also produce sex hormones. The adrenals affect the body’s metabolism, the chemicals in the blood and certain body characteristics as well as the individual’s coping mechanism against physical and emotional stress.

Modern research has shown that men with high levels of testosterone, high sperm count and viscous semen are more immune to diseases than men with lower testosterone levels, low sperm count and watery semen.

On the other hand, Western medical science has established that women enjoy higher immunity and resistance to diseases (example, there are much more men with AIDS than women), recover more quickly from sickness and generally live longer than men.

Sex hormones are steroids and can be considered as great medicine against diseases and aging. Sex hormone production is best stimulated through sexual intercourse. Thus, the Tao prescribes ways to enhance the process of love-making.

For women, hormone production also happens during pregnancy. But for males, sexual intercourse is the only way to produce hormones in good amount.

However, ejaculation in males throws away all those precious hormones away. If, for example, the enhanced production of sex hormones by the adrenals is not ejaculated, they would enter the bloodstream, and would do their stuff like preventing hair loss, skin wrinkling, poor muscle tone, arthritis, rheumatism, impotence and other disasters associated with aging. (Sex stimulates secretion of cortisone in the adrenal cortex and thus prevents rheumatic pains.)

Taoist Dilemma

The Taoists knew the importance of sex not only for procreation but also for health and well-being. The ancient Taoists therefore elevated the sexual act into an art form like a dance or a ballet. Even the terminology is very creative. The male organ is called the Jade or Coral Stem or the Male Stalk or the Turtle Head or the Heavenly Dragon Pillar.

The female organ is variously called the Jade or Coral Gate, the Vermillion Gate, the Jade Pavilion, the Golden Lotus, the Receptive Vase, etc. The Clitoris is called the Pearl on the Jade Step or the Jewel Terrace.

Sexual Intercourse is termed The Mist and the Rain or The Cloud and the Rain or the Delight of the Couch. Orgasm is referred to as the Great Typhoon or the Bursting of the Cloud.

But the males lose a big amount of qi or life force after every orgasm. Expending too much qi brings about aging. And for the aged, expelling so much qi/life force can be fatal.

Thus, the Taoists were faced with a dilemma: How can men have sex and thus produce as much qi but conserve it instead of expelling it? It must be noted that in a single ejaculation, a man loses more than 200 million sperm cells while a woman does not lose a single egg cell.

Controlling ejaculation

The solution to the dilemma was to control the frequency of ejaculation without reducing the amount of intercourse. The ancients concluded that on the average, men must not come more than twice a month or 24 times in a year.

The Book of the Tao illustrates the many ways of enhancing the union of the Yin and the Yang without depleting the Yang qi of the male. Sexual intercourse became a battle of the sexes where points are gained not by beating the opponent but by giving more pleasure to the other.

A Different Kind of Orgasm

An emperor in ancient China must have protested that long hours of intercourse would be boring without a climax – an orgasm. And so the Taoist monks discovered a way to achieve orgasms without ejaculation. They call it Drawing the Nectar Up to the Golden Flower.

For the man, the nectar is the semen about to be ejaculated and the golden flower is the Crown charka, the energy center located just below the scalp. For the woman, the nectar is her own fluids plus the essence of the male semen.

According to the Tao, the very potent semen does not have to go to waste. Both men and women can transform it into its essence – the ching qi or sexual energy – and draw it up towards the crown chakra to achieve a spiritual orgasm.

Mantak Chia, the Thai-born Taoist master who popularized Taoist sexual kung fu in the US and elsewhere through his numerous books and seminars, claims that he has made love thousands of times but ejaculated only once – to impregnate his wife, a medical technician and his co-author in the book Healing Love Through The Tao: Cultivating Female Sexual Energy (Huntington, NY: Healing Tao Books). The couple even gave a seminar in Manila about a decade ago.

The Microcosmic Orbit

For the Taoists, the individual is a microcosm of the Universe. Everything is within. To achieve mind/body/spirit harmony, energy must flow along the microcosmic orbit (see illustration) and thus empower the various chakras.

MICROCOSMIC ORBIT

To achieve transcendent orgasm, before reaching the point of ejaculation, the male must direct the essence of the ching qi or sexual force upwards through the energy points situated along the spinal column until it reaches the crown chakra. Afterwards, the energy should be directed downwards through the major charkas until it reaches its point of origin – the perineum which is located between the anus and the genital. This completes the microcosmic orbit. And then the next round of lovemaking begins.

For the female, at the edge of orgasm (hers or his), she tightens her sex organs and squeezes the male essence out of the Male Stalk and combining with her own juices, she should direct the same upwards along the microcosmic orbit.

Each time the ching qi arrives at the crown charka, orgasmic sensations would occur. According to Mantak Chia, by the tenth “draw up the golden flower”, the couple or individual would achieve an orgasm that would be “spiritual or psychic and would be beyond time and space”.

A Taoist proverb says, “A Sage will practice the Tao. A fool will only admire it.” Which one will you be?

SARAH MILES & KRIS KRISTOFFERSON

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Published in Mr.& Ms. Magazine (with different pictures) February 2006

Anagrams - The Secret Behind Names

FROM MR. & MS. MAGAZINE - Supermonthly of the Body, Mind & Spirit

According to the esoteric sciences, NAMES are sacred. There are secrets buried in one’s name. In Numerology, each letter corresponds to a number. By calculating the number according to some equations, the name’s properties, and hence, the destiny of the bearer of the name can be discovered.

For those not mathematically inclined, there is another mystical procedure to uncover / discover the secrets of Names. This is called Lexigram. The procedure is simple: write down all the words that can be made out of the given letters of the particular name(s). Then create sentences out of these words.

Another method is the Anagram. An ANAGRAM is word or phrase formed by transporting the letters of another word or phrase. All the letters in the original word or phrase must be used in the anagram with nothing added or left out.

Anagram-making became a very popular pastime during the Middle Ages in Europe. Thus, many people consider it merely as a game and do not give it the same mystical stature as the lexigrams.

But the Tarot also evolved from the game of cards. And even the ordinary cards are still used as divinatory tools by countless people.

In Lexigrams, a name or set of names can have hundreds of sub-words and thousands of sentences can be made from those words. For example, the name George Bush contains 111 words – from the interjection O! to 7-letter words like buggers and rehouse. You can imagine how many sentences you can make by re-arranging 111 words. One sample sentence is ‘He buggers rogues.’ It is therefore no wonder that the Bush administration loves calling their perceived enemies “rogue states” like North Korea and Iran.

For anagrams, the choice is limited. All the letters must be used, nothing added nor left out. It is simpler and more to the point. In Magick, like in Physics, the simpler method or theory is always preferred. There is also perfect symmetry because the word and its anagram use the very same letters. For this reason, anagrams are written with an equal sign (=). Thus, ‘George Bush’ = ‘He bugs Gore’. For anagrams that complete the sentence, a tilde sign (~) is used.

SIMPLE AND TRUE

When one finds an anagram, there is usually a sense of awe and wonder at its Simple yet Profound Truth. You can immediately agree with the principle in the Occult that says, “There is no coincidence in the Universe”. When you see the anagram equation ‘George Bush’ = ‘He bugs Gore’, you wonder if Bush was really destined to win the electoral votes yet lose the popular votes, which presumably bugs Gore eternally.

What do you think of this anagram – ‘President George W. Bush’ = ‘This bugger needs power’ ? Or this, ‘President Bush of the USA’ = ‘A fresh one, but he's stupid’

A look at some of the anagrams of famous people further lends credibility to their simple truthfulness:

Adolf Hitler. = ‘Heil, old fart!’ (Jean Fontaine, 1998) =‘Do real filth.’

Milosevic = ‘Cos I'm evil’ (Larry Brash, 1999)

Chairman Mao. = ‘I am on a march’ (Mick Tully, 1998, Wayne Baisley, 1999)

Diana, The Princess of Wales = ‘Elton's idea is crap. He fawns’ (Larry Brash, 1998)

Elvis Aaron Presley. = Seen alive? Sorry, pal! (Bourke, 1999)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. = A famous German waltz god. (Jones, 1999)

Thomas Alva Edison = Aha! Ions made volts! (Larry Brash, 1999)

William Shakespeare = I'll make a wise phrase. (Grantham, 2000) or

=He's like a lamp, I swear, or

=speaks well, I hear. (Dent, 2005)

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy = O, it's a lovely thick novel! (Grantham, 2000)

The Israeli general, Moshe Dayan = Hail, great hairless one-eyed man! (Richard Grantham, 2000)

Sir Peter Paul Rubens = Superb painter rules. (Jaybur, 2000)

(The names in parentheses are the people who worked out the anagrams and the year they registered their “discoveries”. I think one can register through the Internet.)

THE AMERICAN IDOL

As an exercise, I took the anagrams of this year’s contestants of American Idol. For this season, the Anagram clearly favors one candidate. She is MELINDA DOOLITTLE whose anagram is ALL-TIME NOTED IDOL.

Her strongest rival, LAKISHA JONES, does not seem to have a good name. Her name anagrams to J AS A SINKHOLE or J a.k.a. HOLINESS or KISS HEAL JONA or AHA! J SINK LOSE or AHA! J LOSES INK.

The dark horse of the contest, JORDIN SPARKS has RAJ DROPS KINS or DROPS INK JARS.

And so it seems that Melinda Doolittle will become the ALL-TIME NOTED IDOL while Lakisha and Jordin will both SINK or DROP / LOSE INK.

Among the Top 24, there were good singers who should have been in the Top 12 but whose names have bad anagrams.

Nicole Tranquillo anagrams to LO! ILL QUAINT CRONE
Rudy Cardenas has A CURSED RANDY or D CURSED ARYAN or UNREADY CARDS
Jared Cotter = DO REJECT RAT = O! DRAT! REJECT!
Sabrina Sloan = SLAIN ARAB SON = BOAR SANS NAIL

Unfortunately for the Filipino-American contestant ANTONIO TABALDO, his name anagrams to TAN, AN IDOL TABOO.

It would be interesting to see how accurate the anagrams would be in this year’s American Idol finals. (All anagrams for the idol’s names are mine).

THE PHILIPPINES

The term ‘Philippines’ anagrams to ‘I ship nipple’ (Mary Ann 2003). Is this connected to the mail-order brides the Philippines are famous for? Another anagram pertains to the male genital. Is this any indication about the people’s attitudes towards sexuality? I uncovered another anagram which says ‘I help thin pipes’ but I have no idea what it could mean.

'Republic of the Philippines' anagrams to ‘Feeblish, prophetic pupil in’. Could this refer to the psychic but feeble Filipino who is considered by foreigners as a mere pupil? It must be noted that under the 350-year Spanish rule, the Christianized Filipino native was considered a perpetual legal minor. The Spanish priest or the military governors acted as the guardians of the Filipino natives.

President Marcos dreamed of changing the Filipinos and called his utopia, ‘The New Society’, which anagrams to ‘Chinese wet toy’. The Chinese flourished during the Marcos regime and many Chinese nobodies became rich tycoons. The New Society became their wet toy.

President Arroyo wanted a ‘Strong Republic', which anagrams to 'Corpse blurting’. The country is now famous for its extra-judicial killings of journalists and leftists.

PRESIDENTS AND LADIES

‘Ferdinand Edralin Marcos’ anagrams to ‘Aced informer drains land’ (Mary Ann 1987). So maybe it is true that Marcos drained the country of so much wealth. It also anagrams to ‘Fair, damned scorn’ (mine) or ~‘red, mad, infernal, sardonic’ (mine)

His widow’s name has very interesting anagrams: ‘Imelda Romualdez Marcos’ = ‘A lurid sole-crazed momma’ (Mesterton-Gibbons) (2007) = ‘Our mild sole-crazed mama’ (by Pinchas) = ‘Demoralized amoral scum’ (by Jewell 2005)

I worked out Fidel V Ramos ‘s anagram to ‘Favored, slim’(mine). We all know that he was favored (anointed) by Cory Aquino and he won the presidency by a very slim margin.

Joseph Estrada has ‘Oh, sad jeep star’ (mine). Indeed, the movie star’s jeep (Jeepney ni Erap) has a sad journey. Estrada should always use Erap instead of Joseph. The anagram ‘Erap Estrada’ ~ ‘as rare Adept’ - has a much better ring to it.

In spite of having only 6 letters, the name Gloria has quite a number of anagrams: ‘Oil Rag’ = ‘O Grail’ = ‘Air Log’ = ‘Rio Gal’ = ‘Go Lira’ (all by Jewell 2005) = ‘Go, Liar!’ (Domingo Marcelo 2005) = OA Girl.

The www.hotmanila.ph website has the anagram ‘President Gloria Arroyo’ = ‘No leader, a sorry pig riot’. But I worked out this anagram: ‘President Gloria Arroyo’ = ‘O, a Tory leader’s iron grip’ (mine). This means that some people see her as a sorry leader while others recognize her as a conservative leader with an iron grip on Philippine politics.

POLITICIANS

We are in the midst of elections. From the anagrams of the word 'Politicians', we can see that work makes them panic – ‘Toil is panic!’ ( Ryan 2004). They also ask for pain as in ‘Solicit pain’ (by Fathallah2002). A Politician’s office ~‘Is in Capitol’ (Kastner 2002). And of course, politicians love to argue on any topic -- ‘Topical is in! (Rothstein 2001) and ‘I nail topics’ (Rothstein 2002).

Most of the candidates in the coming elections are ‘Career Politicians’. They ~ ‘repair, conciliate’. The ‘career politician’ = ‘a reptilian Cicero’ (Rothstein 2003). And during elections, it is good to know that ‘Career Politicians’ anagrams to ‘I air election crap’ (Tully 2003).

In ‘senatorial elections’, one should ‘retaliate in coolness’, according to the anagrams. It would seem that in these elections, the ‘Genuine Opposition’ will fare better as it will spark with ‘Genius Poet Opinion’ while ‘Team Unity’ will ‘Eat Mutiny’. But the anagram ‘Allan Peter Cayetano’ ~ ‘to clean penalty area’ is baffling. Could this mean that he would be made to pay some penalty, perhaps by the Justice Secretary?

MR. & MS. MAGAZINE

‘Mr. & Ms. magazine’ anagrams to ‘& Man’s grim maze’. During the latter days of the Marcos era, Mr. & Ms. magazine was one of the shining beacons that helped the Filipinos get out of the grim maze of Dictatorship. Today, the Filipinos seem to be in another labyrinth – not only politically but also spiritually. And the Supermonthly of the Body, Mind and Spirit could be another light that could free the Filipino from this yet another grim maze.

And this is possible because the magazine’s publisher - editor is ‘Eugenia Duran Apostol' whose name anagrams to 'Utopian, aroused angel’. (END)

===========================

Published in Mr. & Ms. Magazine, Supermonthly of the Body, Mind & Spirit, May 2007
Now available in bookstores and newsstands.

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Pan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno) - Film Review

Check out my Film Review of Guillermo del Toro's El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrint) at the Mr. & Ms. Magazine website. Click the image above to reach the site. Then right click the May 2007 issue. Then go to TOC (Table of Contents) and click page 60.

Mr. and Ms. magazine cover - Pirates of the Caribbean

Mr. & Ms. Magazine - the Supermonthly of the Body, Mind, and Spirit May 2007 is now out in the streets and in cyberspace.

The cover story is the movie Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End.

It also features my film column QUANTUM CINEMA, where I reviewed the film PAN'S LABYRINTH.

I have another article there -- the Art of the Anagram.

Click the magazine image above to go the site -- a true-to-print web site -- the first in the Philippines!