A 256 Year Old Man!

Li Ching-Yun. Image from The People’s Republic of China

According to the 1933 obituaries in both Time Magazine and the New York Times, Li Ching-Yun was reported to have buried 23 wives and fostered 180 descendants by the time he died at the age of 256.

The Secrets to an Interminable Life

“Keep a quiet heart, sit like a tortoise, walk sprightly like a pigeon and sleep like a dog.” These were the words of advice Li gave to Wu Pei-fu, the warlord, who took Li into his house to learn the secret of extremely long life.

Li maintained that inward calm and peace of mind were the secrets to incredible longevity. His diet after all, was mainly based on rice and wine.

Unsurprisingly, not much is known about Li Ching-Yun’s early life. We know he was born in the province of Szechwan in China, where he also died. We also know that by his tenth birthday, Ching-Yun was literate and had travelled to Kansu, Shansi, Tibet, Annam, Siam and Manchuria gathering herbs. After that, it gets a bit fuzzy…

Apparently, for over one hundred years, Li continued selling his own herbs and then subsequently sold herbs collected by others. He also (according to Time) had six-inch long fingernails on his right hand.

You might be thinking that he looked decrepit, shrivelled, leather-like and creepy, however sources at the time were astonished at his youthfulness. Was this suspect? Was Li Ching-Yun as old as he claimed he was, or was his birthday a clerical error or exaggeration?

Let’s take a brief look at both sides…

The Nine Lives of Li Ching-Yun

By his own admission he was born in 1736 and had lived 197 years. However, in 1930 a professor and dean at Minkuo University by the name of Wu Chung-chien, found records “proving” that Li was born in 1677. Records allegedly showed that the Imperial Chinese Government congratulated him on his 150th and 200th Birthdays.

So the question is, had he forgotten his own birthday? Was this even the same Li Ching-Yun?

Looking at all of this from a medical and documented perspective: Jeanne Louise Calment, a French woman who died in 1997 so far holds the title for the person who has roamed the earth the longest: 122 years, which is a phenomenal length of time.

That means, that if the records discovered by Wu Chung-chien were accurate, Li Ching-Yun’s age would surpass the official record by more than 130 years. Is this even medically possible?

The detail, which seems to prove both arguments and debunk them at the same time, is Li’s youthful appearance, noted in a 1928 article from the New York Times. Visually and physically, he appeared to look like a typical 60 year-old. Does this therefore signify a superhuman body capable of lasting one quarter of a millennium, or is the story of Li Ching-Yun based on a series of half-truths, lies or exaggerations?

Unfortunately, we may never know. You may draw your own logical conclusions. I have decided to believe it.

source

A Kitchari Fast

In Ayurveda, the ancient wisdom of India dating back 5,000 years, this mix of rice and mung beans is considered extremely easy to digest and is said to purify the digestion and cleanse the body of toxins. Ayurvedic physicians often prescribe a kitchari diet before, during, and after panchakarma, a rejuvenative treatment that cleanses toxins stored in bodily tissues as it restores systemic balance.

Kitchari provides solid nourishment while allowing the body to devote energy to healing. You can safely subsist on kitchari anytime in order to build vitality and strength as it helps balance all three doshas. For restless vata, the warm soup is grounding; for fiery pitta, its spices are calming; and for chilly kapha, it provides healing warmth...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in the Eating To Live section, here: A Kitchari Fast

Walking Through Walls

I am reading this awesome book. It's called, The God Who Begat a Jackal, and wow. I picked it up at a flea market because I liked the title, and once again I am amazed by how the Master of the Universe uses obscure books from odd places to speak to me.

Listen to this:

"Aster became sullen and withdrawn. She ate little and grew thinner. Her days were spent talking to invisible friends in a language that no one else could understand. Wild animals became attracted to her. Thrushes landed on her tiny shoulders, lizards gave her the right of way. Absentmindedly, she wandered about asking the names of common, everyday items....

"Count Ashernafi dismissed his daughter's oddities, believing that she was experiencing the tribulations of growth, until one evening when she got up from the dining table and walked right through a solid wall... When he finally came to, Count Ashenafi had his daughter shackled to a post, and sent for the family diviner..."

So, the diviner comes... and makes his assessment of the situation:

"After only a cursory examination, the diviner was able to pinpoint what was ailing her: tthe girl hadn't been immersed in the proper social conduct, no one had told her that whisking through a solid barrier, like chatting with songbirds, was not a human thing to do..."

The diviner goes on to explain...

"...babies come down to earth burdened by many languages, hopes, and dreams. In their cribs, they laugh at the jokes of spirits, and cry at the waft of the Devil's noxious fart. Left to their own devices, the innocent would think nothing of debating with a pack of hyenas or singing in the tongue of a thrush.

"Child rearing is, for the most part, stamping out the budding languages from the baby's essence, giving room for only one to grow. It is a series of methodical and coordinated attacks on the baby's ability to perform a forbidden act - such as walking through a solid wall..."

And it was decided that:

"Aster needed a qualified hand to help her unlearn some of the lessons of the world beyond, a job for which the diviner was uniquely qualified and, therefore, volunteered himself..."

So she spends the next six months with the diviner, while he teaches her that what used to be possible is now impossible. For example:

"One morning, for instance, the sight of a bunch of boys swarming up a towering fig tree prompted the holy man to impress on the young lady that it was out of step with nature for women to climb trees. Aster had been running up and down trees since the age of four, with the ease of a nimble leopard. She attempted to prove the diviner wrong by scaling the fig tree, but was reminded of the new truth when she lost her grip and fell to the parched earth below, twisting an ankle."

Who would we be without those well meaning misguided people who work so hard to make sure our lives are ordinary and completely lacking in magick? What would we be able to do if no one ever told us what was impossible?

Me... Today!

"Not yet willing to endure Apollo,
the prophetess raged within the cavern in her frenzy..."

from the Aeneid by Virgil.

So, that just proves that I'm not the only one with sanity issues! Not the only one unwilling to endure the God of Love, and not the only one who hangs out in a cavern, raging and frenzied! I found that quote on a page at facebook called Pagan Prophets, and immediately became a fan! How could I resist?

Love this!

Being Entish

Ok... so I just posted a bunch of stuff about Ents. As a matter of fact, you now have access, on this site, to just about everything you might ever want to know about Treebeard and the Entmoot. I have quotes, a list, and fresh from wikipedia - a history. Why?

Well, I'm getting to that. Don't be hasty, little human.

I watched the Lord of the Rings, as I always do this time of the year. And while I've already blogged about how once again, I'm going for the gold and will be trying to "be" Aragorn, what I haven't talked endlessly about, at least not yet, but I will... soon enough, is who I have actually succeeded at "being" for the past year. And yes, you've probably guessed it already. I'm pretty sure that I've spent most of last year being about as Entish as a person can get....

And this post has been moved to my personal blog on my new website, shirleytwofeathers.com and can be found in its entirety here: Being Entish

The Long List of the Ents

This is an old list of a living things that ents learned when they were young. Treebeard recited this when he met Merry and Pippin, trying to figure out where hobbits were in the list. When he bid goodbye to them at the fall of Isengard, he had added them in.

Learn now the lore of Living Creatures!
First name the four, the free peoples:
Elders of all, the elf-children;
Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses;
Ents the earthborn, old as mountains;
Man the mortal, master of horses...

And this post has been moved to my personal blog on my new website, shirleytwofeathers.com and can be found in all its glory here: The Long List of the Ents

My Favorite Treebeard Quotes

Merry: It's been going for hours.

Pippin: They must have decided something by now.

Treebeard: Decided? No, we have just finished saying "Good Morning".

Merry: But it's night time already! You can't take forever!

Treebeard: Now, don't be hasty, master Merriadoc.

Merry: We're running out of time!

Treebeard: You must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish. And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.

Treebeard: I promised Gandalf I would keep you safe and safe is where I'll keep you...

There are more, and you can find them at my new website, shirleytwofeathers.com, on my personal blog Hey It's Me - here's a direct link: My Favorite Treebeard Quotes

All About Treebeard

Treebeard (Sindarin: Fangorn) is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The eldest of the species of Ents, he is said to live in the ancient Forest of Fangorn and stands fourteen feet in height and is tree-like in appearance, with leafy hair and a rigid structure. His motto is, "Don't be hasty."

Fangorn Forest lies next to Isengard where Saruman the White resides. In the The Two Towers he meets with Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, two Hobbits of the Shire known also as Merry and Pippin. Treebeard is known to have a strong hatred of Orcs, and, after Saruman's betrayal of the Ents, of Saruman as well.

Spirits were sent by Eru Ilúvatar to inhabit the trees, which the Vala Yavanna had created along with other plants or olvar. The Vala longed for their protection since Morgoth or Melkor was destroying the trees and olvars, which could not defend themselves from him. The Ents were created by Ilúvatar at the behest of Yavanna as the Shepherds of the Forest or Tree-herders. Entwives were also created for the Ents, but, in the Second Age, were driven out by Sauron....

And this post has been moved to my new website, shirleytwofeathers.com, it can be found in its entirety here on my personal blog: Hey It's Me

Aragorn Again

Every year, I sit down and watch The Lord of the Rings Trilogy from start to finish. I think about my life, and about who I would be if  that movie was my real life - what character I'd be playing. Then I think about who I would WANT to be, what role I would elect to play if I could just figure out how to do it.

So, I watched Lord of the Rings - and once again, I'm electing to "be" Aragorn. It would really be helpful if I was a man, a man in great physical shape, someone strong and cool looking... and it would be even more helpful if I was Viggo Mortensen... yes,.. it would be extremely helpful if I looked like this guy and could actually ride a horse!

But... no... It's just me, Shirley. Trying once again to be more than I am. Ok, that's not exactly true. It occured to me yesterday that the reason I have this deep seated desire to BE Aragorn is because I am Aragorn in my heart, and to see a vision of the inner me unfolding in a successful way... well... it draws me.. And it's frustrating as hell because my vision of my inner self and my vision of my outer self are so irreconcilably different. And the failure of my life is so unbearably present.

It's as if what Eowyn feared the most has already come true for me:

Aragorn: What do you fear, my lady?
Eowyn: A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire.

Maybe instead of consistently picking Aragorn - I should set out to be Bilbo. Old and done. I could do that one quite easily, I think. Not happily. But easily. And I don't because the Aragorn inside me will not allow it. I guess I'm a fight to the death kind of person with no great battle to fight in...
 or something... so I end up just flailing around...

And this post has been moved to my new website, shirleytwofeathers.com - it can be found in it's glorious entirety here: Aragorn Again

,

Aragorn's Awesome Speech At The Black Gate

Wow and wow!

I would follow that man into ... well... anywhere!

And I did find another video... I think it's a better one too... If you are interested you will find it on my personal blog at my new website, shirleytwofeathers.com - here: Aragorn's Awesome Speech At The Black Gate

It's My Life

Wow!

I guess this was really cool... and now it's gone. Who says once on the internet, always on the internet. Clearly not true!

But wait... I found another video... probably the same one.. I can only hope. And it can be found on my new website, shirleytwofeathers.com - right here: It's My Life

My Life As It Stands Right Now

So, well ok... if you haven't read them yet, you might as well read the two posts I just put up. One is about who I want to be in the world, and the other is about well... downloading a program of perfection from the casual body of God... if indeed that is possible, and am I really sure that I want to be perfect?

Clearly, I am dissatisfied with my life as it stands right now. A friend of mine watched Avatar on New Years Day. She liked it so much she actually watched it twice, the second time on IMAX, and she said that as she was driving home, the world looked so dull... and boring... and she was just aching to BE in the world of that movie. Maybe, given my current mood, that's the last movie I should watch. I already think my life is dull and lifeless, if I go see Avatar, it'll just be clearly even more dull and lifeless...

LSD... remember those days? I used to drop acid so that my life would be filled with color and meaning, and eventually I gave it up because I realized that it wasn't actually improving anything, that my real life was just as colorless and meaningless with LSD as it was without...

Now, I don't know. I just wish I could peel away the scales from my eyes and see a vibrant living world, full of color and meaning, interesting and exciting, and me a valuable player in it, a person with an important (and interesting) part to play. And probably this really is a vibrant living world, and I am no doubt surrounded by color and meaning, and it's very possible that I am a valuable and interesting part of it... BUT... I just can't see it.

So... maybe I'll rewrite the Violet Flame Download... maybe I'll even do it. Or maybe I'll just talk about doing it... and talk and talk... bla bla bla.... by the way, did I tell you about The Lord of the Rings yet? Looks like that'll be my next post.  Stay tuned.

THE NEW TECHNOLOGY OF THE VIOLET FLAME

I found this in my inbox this morning... and I think I'm going to actually do it. Sounds pretty strange, even to me, and that's saying ALOT! But what the heck, I just might give it a go.... it's not like I couldn't use a program and pattern of perfection!!!

The 5th-Dimensional frequencies of the Violet Flame allow us to easily download programs or patterns of perfection from the Causal Body of our Father-Mother God that we would like to manifest in our lives. We begin with an invocation, then we decide what programs we want to download and ask our I AM Presence to assist us. The downloading occurs instantly and automatically, very similar to the way the process occurs when we put a disc with a new program into our computer.

After the program is downloaded, our I AM Presence uses the technology of the Violet Flame to scan all of our records, memories, belief systems, fears, blocks, etc., from all time frames and dimensions both known and unknown. Any thought, word, action, or feeling that we have ever expressed in any lifetime that conflicts with the new program is identified, transmuted, and deleted.

We also have the ability to download programs for our families, our friends, and all Humanity. All we have to do is invoke their I AM Presence and ask that the program be downloaded according to their Divine Plan.

For our collective purposes here, the Beings of Light have grouped the programs we are going to download together according to subject matter. We are also going to invoke our families, friends, and the entire Family of Humanity.

The first step involves invoking our Father-Mother God, our I AM Presence, and the I AM Presence of all Humanity:

DOWNLOADING PROGRAMS
FROM THE CAUSAL BODY OF GOD

Through the Presence of God, I AM, I Invoke:

My Father-Mother God, My I AM Presence, the I AM Presences of ALL Humanity, and the entire Company of Heaven.

I invoke the full-gathered momentum of the 5th-Dimensional Violet Flame.

I ask the I AM Presence of each member of my family, my friends, and the entire Family of Humanity to downloaded these programs for each person according to his or her highest good and their individual Divine Plans: And I begin...

Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for the Infinite Flow of God’s Abundance, Opulence, Financial Freedom, and the God-Supply of ALL good things. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for Eternal Youth, Vibrant Health, Radiant Beauty, and Slim, Firm, Flawless Form. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for Perfect Health Habits including Eating and Drinking Habits, Exercise Habits, Work Habits, Relaxation and Recreation Habits, Spiritual Devotion, Meditation, and Contemplation Habits. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for Divine Family Life, Loving Relationships, Adoration, Divine Love, Divine Sexuality, True Understanding, Clear and Effective Communication, Open Heart Sharing, Oneness, and the Unification of the Family of Humanity. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for Eternal Peace, Harmony, Balance, and Reverence for ALL Life. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for Self-Empowerment, Success, Fulfillment, Divine Purpose, A Rewarding Career, Self Esteem, Spiritual Development, Enlightenment, Divine Consciousness, and Divine Perception. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for the Perception and Open Heart and Mind Telepathic Communication with the Company of Heaven and the Angelic and Elemental Kingdoms. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for Inspired Creativity through Music, Singing, Sound, Toning, Dance, Movement, Art, and Education. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for Laughter, Joy, Playfulness, Fun, Self-expression, Elation, Enthusiasm, Bliss, Ecstasy, Wonder, and Awe. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


Beloved I AM Presence, download now the programs from the Causal Body of God for the physical manifestation of Heaven on Earth. (pause)


The programs are successfully downloaded, and my I AM Presence now scans through all facets of my Being and transmutes and deletes anything that conflicts with these programs. (pause)


I now ACCEPT and KNOW through every fiber of my Being that these programs from the Causal Body of God have been successfully downloaded. I also ACCEPT and KNOW that my I AM Presence will update these programs every single day and continually delete anything in my Being that conflicts with these programs.


In deep Humility, Divine Love and Gratitude I Decree,

It is done. And so it is. Beloved I AM, Beloved I AM, Beloved I AM.

source: Patricia Diane Cota-Robles

Faeries

Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,

For I would ride with you upon the wind,

Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,

And dance upon the mountains like a flame.

~William Butler Yeats

Dangerous

Out
Of a great need
We are all holding hands
And climbing.

Not loving is a letting go.

Listen,
The terrain around here
Is
Far too
Dangerous
For
That.

~Hafiz

Posting Shit On Facebook

In case you weren't paying attention, I posted a whole bunch of silly widgets and other stuff on facebook, Gypsy Magic, and yes... here too. Suddenly it occured to me that maybe I was just fooling around and maybe I should get busy and go Christmas Shopping. But I didn't want to stop, I thought maybe... who knows... what I've been posting might actually have some value.

So I asked Tony Soprano if anyone was even going to read a single one of my facebook posts today and he had this to say:

I doubt it. -- You don't shit where you eat. And you really don't shit where I eat.

Hmmmm... have I been posting shit on facebook all morning? I decided that maybe I should ask Buffy if Tony Soprano was right. Here's what she said:

Yes, without a doubt. -- If I was any more open-minded about the choices you two make, my whole brain would fall out.

When I quit laughing so hard that I spit coffee out my nose, it occured to me to ask Tony Montana what he thought about the whole thing and he said this:

It's hard to say. -- I got ears, ya' know. I hear things.

LOL... too funny!!! I love these widgets!! Those question mark chairs are cool too!

Still Not Satisfied

I'm still not completely satisfied that I'll have all of my questions answered... so I give you Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Ha! How cool is that? Go ahead, ask her a question - you know you want to!


Don't use a Magic 8-Ball. Get an Askzy!

Still Have Questions?

If Dexter and Tony Soprano didn't quite nail the answers to your questions... try Tony Montana! His life was a blazing success!! (Well, OK, some people wouldn't call it a success... exactly. He did have a lot of money though! And balls!)


Don't use a Magic 8-Ball. Get an Askzy!

Any Questions?

Gotta question? Well, now you can ask Tony Soprano!! How fun is that?


Don't use a Magic 8-Ball. Get an Askzy!