4/1/11 Once a Runner John L. Parker
12/1/11 What I Talk About When I Talk About Running Haruki Murakami
16/1/11 Running the Race: Eric Liddell Olympic Champion and Missionary John W. Keddie
19/2/11 A Course in Miracles (Text, Manual for Teachers and Supplements).
20/2/11 A Canticle for Liebowitz Walter M. Miller Jr.
16/3/11 The World According to Garp John Irving
24/3/11 A Game of Hide and Seek Elizabeth Taylor
13/4/11 A Wreath of Roses Elizabeth Taylor
15/4/11 Blaming Elizabeth Taylor
18/4/11 At Mrs. Lippincote's Elizabeth Taylor
22/4/11 A View of the Harbour Elizabeth Taylor
22/4/11 The World Jones Made Philip K. Dick
27/4/11 Bounce Matthew Syed
29/4/11 Angel Elizabeth Taylor
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Precognitive Dream
At the time that I wrote this, I was writing every morning (sort of a journal) and I just happened to write about a dream. As it was dated and so on I know that I had the dream the night before.
28/11/04
A dream. I'm on a flat beach. The waves suck back a long way before coming back in. I'm paddling with Jack. We race into the sea as the surf recedes. Then there's a wave coming that's huge. We've run into the pull of the wave. We ran over the dry sea-bed, but the sea has gone back too far – it's like it's gone completely. But then it's coming – huge towering over us ready to smash us into the shore. But we ride it out safely.
Now I'm on a boat. It seems much too big to be this close to shore, especially in this unpredictable, crazy sea. We're bouncing on waves that are threatening to launch us into the seaside hotels. Is it Scarborough, Blackpool, something like that. But I'm up on the deck. Somehow maneuvering the ship. Saving everyone.
[This is exactly as I wrote it down, unedited]
When the Boxing Day Tsunami happened (26/12/04), I'd forgotten about this dream, but I was reading through my journal and found it quite freaky.
Obviously there are bits that are not to do with the Asian Tsunami (ie me and Jack being there). But there are some details that are very similar (the sea-sucking back, it being a resort-type beach).
According to J.W. Dunne in "An Experiment with Time" we have quite a lot of these precognitive dreams. We don't notice unless we record our dreams accurately and really try to look for the links.
I really recommend that you buy Dunne's book. Also C. H. Hinton's stuff is great.
Also watch Donnie Darko and read From Hell.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Not synchronicity but ...
In June 2010, I read a really good book by Mikita Brottman ("The Solitary Vice"). Finding this book at all was a strange co-incidence - I just happened upon it browsing Amazon. Among other things, it mentioned serial killer books. She spoke highly of "From Hell", which I had never read, despite being a fan of Alan Moore (I had seen the film). I sent an email or two to Mikita Brottman, discussing how much I liked her book.
A little after this I got thinking about the 4th dimension and precognitive dreams. I remembered a couple of books I'd read on this: Rudy Rucker's "The Fourth Dimension" and J. W. Dunne's "An Experiment with Time". Re-reading the Dunne, I came across some interesting references to C. H. Hinton's "What is the Fourth Dimension?". I sent an email to Rudy Rucker around this time, thanking him for some useful material on writing he'd put online.
Moving into August I read "Fingerprints of the Gods" (1995) by Graham Hancock. Much of this centres around the fact that the Great Pyramid is made in such a way that it "encodes" pi and numbers related to the Precession of the Equinoxes. Hancock takes this to show that a technologically and mathematically advanced society existed around during the "Age of Leo" (ie about 10,500 BC). (for more info see here).
When I read "From Hell" (immediately after the Hancock). I was surprised to read that the Hinton's ideas figure heavily and that James Hinton (C. H.'s father) is an important character. Moore's notes mention Rudy Rucker's book. "From Hell" also talks a lot about Egyptian matters (esp. obelisks and Anubis).
Immediately after this I read Carl Sagan's "Contact". Precession of the Equinoxes is quite important here: there is discussion about which star would have been the Pole Star at times in the remote past (the first "Message" dealt with in the book comes from Vega). Here's a quotation:
Pi is very important in this book: in the novel, Ellie finds a mathematical message hidden in pi. If this were true it would be proof that the universe was "designed" by a mathematically-minded creator. She's told to look for this by the representative of the beings who sent the message from Vega. These beings make use of a network of wormholes which make faster-than-light travel possible, but they say they didn't make them - they are all that remains of some even more ancient culture. This book was first published in 1985. Its text is available here.
Immediately after this I started reading "Gaia". In this book, Lovelock mentions that when he was having difficulty publishing his early theories about the atmosphere and Gaia, Carl Sagan was the first to accept an article for publication (in the journal Icarus).
Maybe this is not synchronicity, just ordinary co-incidences. Interesting though. By the way, I have at least one definitely precognitive dream, but I will need to get my evidence together for a later blog post.
A little after this I got thinking about the 4th dimension and precognitive dreams. I remembered a couple of books I'd read on this: Rudy Rucker's "The Fourth Dimension" and J. W. Dunne's "An Experiment with Time". Re-reading the Dunne, I came across some interesting references to C. H. Hinton's "What is the Fourth Dimension?". I sent an email to Rudy Rucker around this time, thanking him for some useful material on writing he'd put online.
Moving into August I read "Fingerprints of the Gods" (1995) by Graham Hancock. Much of this centres around the fact that the Great Pyramid is made in such a way that it "encodes" pi and numbers related to the Precession of the Equinoxes. Hancock takes this to show that a technologically and mathematically advanced society existed around during the "Age of Leo" (ie about 10,500 BC). (for more info see here).
When I read "From Hell" (immediately after the Hancock). I was surprised to read that the Hinton's ideas figure heavily and that James Hinton (C. H.'s father) is an important character. Moore's notes mention Rudy Rucker's book. "From Hell" also talks a lot about Egyptian matters (esp. obelisks and Anubis).
Immediately after this I read Carl Sagan's "Contact". Precession of the Equinoxes is quite important here: there is discussion about which star would have been the Pole Star at times in the remote past (the first "Message" dealt with in the book comes from Vega). Here's a quotation:
"Vega was the Pole Star about twelve thousand years ago."This coincides with the time that Hancock thought the Great Pyramid was planned and built (the Age of Leo - when the sun rose in the Constellation Leo at the Equinoxes).
Pi is very important in this book: in the novel, Ellie finds a mathematical message hidden in pi. If this were true it would be proof that the universe was "designed" by a mathematically-minded creator. She's told to look for this by the representative of the beings who sent the message from Vega. These beings make use of a network of wormholes which make faster-than-light travel possible, but they say they didn't make them - they are all that remains of some even more ancient culture. This book was first published in 1985. Its text is available here.
Immediately after this I started reading "Gaia". In this book, Lovelock mentions that when he was having difficulty publishing his early theories about the atmosphere and Gaia, Carl Sagan was the first to accept an article for publication (in the journal Icarus).
Maybe this is not synchronicity, just ordinary co-incidences. Interesting though. By the way, I have at least one definitely precognitive dream, but I will need to get my evidence together for a later blog post.
Friday, 2 July 2010
Reading List 2010
09/01/10 The Story of Edgar Sawtelle David Wroblewski
10/01/10 The Philosopher at the End of the Universe Mark Rowlands
16/01/10 Born to Run Christopher McDougall
06/02/10 The Little Friend Donna Tartt
11/02/10 Why we Run Bernd Heinrich
17/02/10 The Baader-Meinhof Complex Stefan Aust
18/02/10 Grendel John Gardner
20/02/10 Hey Nostradamus Douglas Coupland
24/02/10 The Secret Agent Joseph Conrad
25/02/10 The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum Heinrich Böll
01/03/10 The Bourne Identity Robert Ludlum
06/03/10 Ten Men Dead David Beresford
09/03/10 The Siege of Krishnapur J G Farrell
12/03/10 Testament of Devotion Thomas R Kelly
16/03/10 Hitler's Children Jillian Becker
27/03/10 John Inglesant J H Shorthouse
30/03/10 The Deadly Pecheron John Franklin Bardin
05/04/10 The Enemy Within Seumas Milne
10/04/10 Candlemoth Roger Jon Ellroy
April Jump Rope Training Buddy Lee
23/05/10 The Princess Casamassima Henry James
28/05/10 A Novel in a Year Louise Doughty
7/6/10 The Fermata Nicholson Baker
13/6/10 The Mezzanine Nicholson Baker
21/6/10 The Positive Power of Positive Thining Julie K. Norem
23/6/10 Double Fold Nicholson Baker
24/6/10 The Solitary Vice Mikita Brottman
25/6/10 On Guerrilla Gardening Richard Reynolds
29/6/10 Skinny Bitch R. Freedman and K. Barnouin
9/7/10 The World Without Us Alan Weisman
13/7/10 The Medea Hypothesis Peter Ward
20/7/10 The Goldilocks Enigma Paul Davies
28/7/10 The Music of Chance Paul Auster
29/7/10 Self-Discipline Dr. Windy Dryden
4/8/10 Fingerprints of the Gods Graham Hancock
7/8/10 From Hell Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
11/8/10 Contact Carl Sagan
16/8/10 Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth James Lovelock
17/10/10 Ishmael Daniel Quinn
19/8/10 The Slap Christos Tsiolkas
29/8/10 Supernatural Graham Hancock
2/9/10 The Rainbow Machine Andrew T. Austin
3/9/10 Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life Brian Lee O'Malley
18/9/10 The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly Jean-Dominique Bauby
24/9/10 I Can Make You Thin Paul McKenna
25/9/10 I Can Make You Sleep Paul McKenna
12/10/10 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Brian Lee O'Malley
13/10/10 Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness Brian Lee O'Malley
14/10/10 Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together Brian Lee O'Malley
15/10/10 Scott Pilgrim vs. The Universe Brian Lee O'Malley
16/10/10 Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour Brian Lee O'Malley
22/10/10 Light on Pranayama B. K. S. Iyengar (skipped some of it).
24/10/10 The Element Ken Robinson
25/10/10 The Monkey-Wrench Gang Edward Abbey
11/11/10 The Autobiography of a Yogi Yogananda
17/11/10 Yoga School Drop-out Lucy Edge
24/11/10 Passport to the Cosmos John Mack
25/11/10 The Heart of Yoga T. K. V. Desikachar
29/11/10 A Return to Love Marianne Williamson
8/12/10 Absence from Felicity Ken Wapnick
22/12/10 Wherever You Go, There You Are Jon Kabat-Zinn
29/12/10 The Disappearance of the Universe Gary Renard
10/01/10 The Philosopher at the End of the Universe Mark Rowlands
16/01/10 Born to Run Christopher McDougall
06/02/10 The Little Friend Donna Tartt
11/02/10 Why we Run Bernd Heinrich
17/02/10 The Baader-Meinhof Complex Stefan Aust
18/02/10 Grendel John Gardner
20/02/10 Hey Nostradamus Douglas Coupland
24/02/10 The Secret Agent Joseph Conrad
25/02/10 The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum Heinrich Böll
01/03/10 The Bourne Identity Robert Ludlum
06/03/10 Ten Men Dead David Beresford
09/03/10 The Siege of Krishnapur J G Farrell
12/03/10 Testament of Devotion Thomas R Kelly
16/03/10 Hitler's Children Jillian Becker
27/03/10 John Inglesant J H Shorthouse
30/03/10 The Deadly Pecheron John Franklin Bardin
05/04/10 The Enemy Within Seumas Milne
10/04/10 Candlemoth Roger Jon Ellroy
April Jump Rope Training Buddy Lee
23/05/10 The Princess Casamassima Henry James
28/05/10 A Novel in a Year Louise Doughty
7/6/10 The Fermata Nicholson Baker
13/6/10 The Mezzanine Nicholson Baker
21/6/10 The Positive Power of Positive Thining Julie K. Norem
23/6/10 Double Fold Nicholson Baker
24/6/10 The Solitary Vice Mikita Brottman
25/6/10 On Guerrilla Gardening Richard Reynolds
29/6/10 Skinny Bitch R. Freedman and K. Barnouin
9/7/10 The World Without Us Alan Weisman
13/7/10 The Medea Hypothesis Peter Ward
20/7/10 The Goldilocks Enigma Paul Davies
28/7/10 The Music of Chance Paul Auster
29/7/10 Self-Discipline Dr. Windy Dryden
4/8/10 Fingerprints of the Gods Graham Hancock
7/8/10 From Hell Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
11/8/10 Contact Carl Sagan
16/8/10 Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth James Lovelock
17/10/10 Ishmael Daniel Quinn
19/8/10 The Slap Christos Tsiolkas
29/8/10 Supernatural Graham Hancock
2/9/10 The Rainbow Machine Andrew T. Austin
3/9/10 Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life Brian Lee O'Malley
18/9/10 The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly Jean-Dominique Bauby
24/9/10 I Can Make You Thin Paul McKenna
25/9/10 I Can Make You Sleep Paul McKenna
12/10/10 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Brian Lee O'Malley
13/10/10 Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness Brian Lee O'Malley
14/10/10 Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together Brian Lee O'Malley
15/10/10 Scott Pilgrim vs. The Universe Brian Lee O'Malley
16/10/10 Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour Brian Lee O'Malley
22/10/10 Light on Pranayama B. K. S. Iyengar (skipped some of it).
24/10/10 The Element Ken Robinson
25/10/10 The Monkey-Wrench Gang Edward Abbey
11/11/10 The Autobiography of a Yogi Yogananda
17/11/10 Yoga School Drop-out Lucy Edge
24/11/10 Passport to the Cosmos John Mack
25/11/10 The Heart of Yoga T. K. V. Desikachar
29/11/10 A Return to Love Marianne Williamson
8/12/10 Absence from Felicity Ken Wapnick
22/12/10 Wherever You Go, There You Are Jon Kabat-Zinn
29/12/10 The Disappearance of the Universe Gary Renard
Reading List 2009
Got interested in Quakers this year. Lots of Quaker pamphlets.
2/1/09 Listening to the Light Jim Pym
6/1/09 God is Silence Pierre Lacout
8/1/09 Gravity and Grace Simone Weil
10/1/09 Friendly Bible Study J. & L. Spears
20/1/09 The Quiet Paul Wilson
3/2/09 God of Surprises Gerard W. Hughes
12/3/09 Waiting on God Simone Weil
Choosing Life Joycelin Dawes
Quakerism, Universalism and Spirituality Ralph Hetherington
Quakers and Buddhism: The Cutting Edge Anne Bancroft
The Light Upon the Candlestick Peter Balling
Universal Quakerism Ralph Hetherington
Readings for Universalists Ralph Hetherington
The Meeting Place of the World's Great Faiths Horace Alexander
Christ in a Universe of Faiths John Hick
The Place of Prayer is a Precious Habitation John Nicholson
Sources of Universalism in Quaker Thought Winifred Burdick
31/3/09 Writing as a Way of Healing Louise DeSalvo
31/3/09 Quaker Mysticism Sibley
1/4/09 Waiting and Resting in the True Silence QUF
2/4/09 Authority and Mysticism Sibley and Gilman
2/4/09 The Generous Qur'an Michael Sells
4/4/09 The Discipline of Prayer Frederick J. Tritton
8/4/09 The Universality of Unknowing Rhoda R. Gilman
8/4/09 The Boundaries of our Faith Daniel Seegar
8/4/09 I Have Called You Friends Daniel A. Seegar
9/4/09 Spirit and Trauma Gene Knudsen-Hoffman
25/4/09 The Aristos John Fowles
April 09 Industrial Society and its Future T. Kaczynski
17/05/09 The Ages of Gaia James Lovelock
28/06/09 Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston
June 09 Be Incredibly Creative Bevan et al.
13/7/09 One Small Step Can Change Your Life Robert Maurer
21/7/09 A Maze of Death Philip K. Dick
26/7/09 Sleep Well Every Night Glenn Harrold
2/8/09 Ubik Philip K. Dick
10/8/09 Valis Philip K. Dick
20/8/09 A Lifelong Journey Sarah Russell
24/8/09 Understanding A Course in Miracles D. Patrick Miller
22/10/09 You Can Heal Your Life Louise L. Hay
02/12/09 Twilight Stephanie Mayer
08/12/09 Mindset Carol Dweck
20/12/09 The Philosopher and the Wolf Mark Rowlands
27/12/09 Leaving the Twentieth Century ed. Chris Gray
28/12/09 Notes From the Teenage Underground Simone Howell
30/12/09 The Principles of Running (skipped some) Amby Burfoot
2/1/09 Listening to the Light Jim Pym
6/1/09 God is Silence Pierre Lacout
8/1/09 Gravity and Grace Simone Weil
10/1/09 Friendly Bible Study J. & L. Spears
20/1/09 The Quiet Paul Wilson
3/2/09 God of Surprises Gerard W. Hughes
12/3/09 Waiting on God Simone Weil
Choosing Life Joycelin Dawes
Quakerism, Universalism and Spirituality Ralph Hetherington
Quakers and Buddhism: The Cutting Edge Anne Bancroft
The Light Upon the Candlestick Peter Balling
Universal Quakerism Ralph Hetherington
Readings for Universalists Ralph Hetherington
The Meeting Place of the World's Great Faiths Horace Alexander
Christ in a Universe of Faiths John Hick
The Place of Prayer is a Precious Habitation John Nicholson
Sources of Universalism in Quaker Thought Winifred Burdick
31/3/09 Writing as a Way of Healing Louise DeSalvo
31/3/09 Quaker Mysticism Sibley
1/4/09 Waiting and Resting in the True Silence QUF
2/4/09 Authority and Mysticism Sibley and Gilman
2/4/09 The Generous Qur'an Michael Sells
4/4/09 The Discipline of Prayer Frederick J. Tritton
8/4/09 The Universality of Unknowing Rhoda R. Gilman
8/4/09 The Boundaries of our Faith Daniel Seegar
8/4/09 I Have Called You Friends Daniel A. Seegar
9/4/09 Spirit and Trauma Gene Knudsen-Hoffman
25/4/09 The Aristos John Fowles
April 09 Industrial Society and its Future T. Kaczynski
17/05/09 The Ages of Gaia James Lovelock
28/06/09 Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston
June 09 Be Incredibly Creative Bevan et al.
13/7/09 One Small Step Can Change Your Life Robert Maurer
21/7/09 A Maze of Death Philip K. Dick
26/7/09 Sleep Well Every Night Glenn Harrold
2/8/09 Ubik Philip K. Dick
10/8/09 Valis Philip K. Dick
20/8/09 A Lifelong Journey Sarah Russell
24/8/09 Understanding A Course in Miracles D. Patrick Miller
22/10/09 You Can Heal Your Life Louise L. Hay
02/12/09 Twilight Stephanie Mayer
08/12/09 Mindset Carol Dweck
20/12/09 The Philosopher and the Wolf Mark Rowlands
27/12/09 Leaving the Twentieth Century ed. Chris Gray
28/12/09 Notes From the Teenage Underground Simone Howell
30/12/09 The Principles of Running (skipped some) Amby Burfoot
Reading List 2008
Very little reading this year. My mental health was not good.
22/3/08 A World Out of Time Larry Niven
29/3/08 Ringworld Larry Niven
16/4/08 Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius Ray Monk
22/4/08 Heroes Robert Cormier
30/4/08 A Kestrel for a Knave Barry Hines
12/5/08 I'm the King of the Castle Susan Hill
24/6/08 Hands of Stone Christian Guidice
14/8/08 The Birth of Tragedy Nietzsche
Oct. 08 Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit Bruce Thomas
9/11/08 Hunger Strike Susie Orbach
30/11/08 The Gospels in Brief Leo Tolstoy
22/3/08 A World Out of Time Larry Niven
29/3/08 Ringworld Larry Niven
16/4/08 Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius Ray Monk
22/4/08 Heroes Robert Cormier
30/4/08 A Kestrel for a Knave Barry Hines
12/5/08 I'm the King of the Castle Susan Hill
24/6/08 Hands of Stone Christian Guidice
14/8/08 The Birth of Tragedy Nietzsche
Oct. 08 Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit Bruce Thomas
9/11/08 Hunger Strike Susie Orbach
30/11/08 The Gospels in Brief Leo Tolstoy
Reading List 2007
31/1/07 Cinderella Man Michael C Delisa
19/2/07 Solo Training Loren Christensen
13/3/07 Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes
30/3/07 “Za-to-pek! Za-to-pek! Za-to-pek!” Bob Phillips
17/4/07 Feet in the Clouds Richard Askwith
21/4/07 Beasts of No Nation Uzodinma Iweala
7/5/07 Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro
11/5/07 The Spirit of Shaolin David Carradine
30/5/07 The Blue Cliff Record (vol. 1)
10/6/07 Queer William Burroughs
27/6/07 Fierce Conversations Susan Scott
2/7/07 The Jelly Effect Andy Bounds
30/7/07 The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: Volume One – The Pox Party M T Anderson
2/8/07 Beast Ally Kenner
6/8/07 Henry Tumour Anthony McGowan
21/8/07 Spies Michael Frayn
13/10/07 Waves Sharon Dogar
5/11/07 The Culture Clash Jean Donaldson
8/11/07 The Mindful Way Through Depression Mark Williams et al
13/11/07 Five Boys Mick Jackson
20/11/07 Pre Tom Jordan
27/11/07 Free Play Stephen Nachmanovitch
30/11/07 The Miracle of Mindfulness Thich Nhat Hanh
4/12/07 Story of O Pauline Reage
11/12/07 Venus in Furs Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
26/12/07 St Rose of Lima Sister Mary Alphonsus O.S.S.R.
19/2/07 Solo Training Loren Christensen
13/3/07 Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes
30/3/07 “Za-to-pek! Za-to-pek! Za-to-pek!” Bob Phillips
17/4/07 Feet in the Clouds Richard Askwith
21/4/07 Beasts of No Nation Uzodinma Iweala
7/5/07 Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro
11/5/07 The Spirit of Shaolin David Carradine
30/5/07 The Blue Cliff Record (vol. 1)
10/6/07 Queer William Burroughs
27/6/07 Fierce Conversations Susan Scott
2/7/07 The Jelly Effect Andy Bounds
30/7/07 The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: Volume One – The Pox Party M T Anderson
2/8/07 Beast Ally Kenner
6/8/07 Henry Tumour Anthony McGowan
21/8/07 Spies Michael Frayn
13/10/07 Waves Sharon Dogar
5/11/07 The Culture Clash Jean Donaldson
8/11/07 The Mindful Way Through Depression Mark Williams et al
13/11/07 Five Boys Mick Jackson
20/11/07 Pre Tom Jordan
27/11/07 Free Play Stephen Nachmanovitch
30/11/07 The Miracle of Mindfulness Thich Nhat Hanh
4/12/07 Story of O Pauline Reage
11/12/07 Venus in Furs Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
26/12/07 St Rose of Lima Sister Mary Alphonsus O.S.S.R.
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