Aug 17

August 24, 2016 – Encounters of a Seeker: the Four Body System, Part II

Cosmology, Multi-Dimensions, Quantum Physics, Spirituality Comments Off on August 24, 2016 – Encounters of a Seeker: the Four Body System, Part II

Join us Wednesday August 24, 2016 at 6:30 PM for “Encounters of a Seeker: the Four Body System, Part II” presented by Harold Cottrell.

Several questions have arisen from Part I.

Why can’t we see the other three bodies?  Are these bodies like a body of water or like the human body?  Do the bodies get fed?  Do the bodies sleep?  If the bodies are asleep and awaken, then what is the light they awaken to—surely it is different than the sun.  If any of the bodies can see, then where is the light that illuminates that which is being observed?  Do all the bodies die like the physical body?

These questions and more will be explored as we continue to understand the ancient teachings of the Four Body System that predates the Babylonians from 4500 years ago.  Once again, we will draw upon Quantum Physics within a six-dimensional universe in our adventure into the possibilities.

Harold Cottrell has a Masters in Mathematics, a former professional Ballroom Dancer, farmer, naturalist,  Seeker of Truth and author of the book, “Just One Generation: Repairing the Past, Learning from the Future”.

Harold is from Hart County Kentucky and has lived in Lexington for 35 years.  Currently Harold lives in Louisville.

 

All sincere seekers are welcome.  $10 for pay-as-you-go attendees; No charge for LES pre-pay Members.

 

Click here for location, map and directions

Jul 06

July 13, 2016 – Encounters of a Seeker: the Four Body System

Cosmology, Multi-Dimensions, Quantum Physics, Spirituality Comments Off on July 13, 2016 – Encounters of a Seeker: the Four Body System

Join us Wednesday July 13, 2016 at 6:30 PM for “Encounters of a Seeker: the Four Body System” presented by Harold Cottrell.

Most all of us have a sense that there is something more than just our physical presence in this world, that something within us has the possibility of existing after our physical body ceases to exist.  This sense and the desire to assure the reality of this possibility has been the subject of religions and teachings for thousands of years.

The Four Body System is an ancient teaching that predates the Babylonians 4500 years ago.  It is brought to modern times through Buddhist, Vedic, Hermetic, Theosophy, Esoteric Christianity and Fourth Way schools. The four bodies are called “physical, astral, mental and causal” or “carnal, emotional, mental and divine” or they could be called “physical, astral/desire, mental/will and karmic/heavenly”.

After examining all the different teachings, a chicken-and-egg problem arises.  Does the carnal body exist first and through certain practices in one’s life the other bodies are nurtured and developed, or does the karmic body exist first and through the laws of Karma, the physical body exists through a lifetime to fulfill certain karmic requirements?

Harold Cottrell, a lifelong Seeker of Truth, explores this chicken-and-egg question by starting with defining a six-dimensional universe that is consistent with modern physics and gives us a basis for answering the question, “Where are these bodies?”  But that is not enough to solve the problem.  We need to use principles of Quantum Physics to arrive at a cosmology where the possibility of a four body system is real.

Harold Cottrell has a Masters in Mathematics, a former professional Ballroom Dancer, farmer, naturalist,  Seeker of Truth and author of the book, “Just One Generation: Repairing the Past, Learning from the Future”.

Harold is from Hart County Kentucky and has lived in Lexington for 35 years.  Currently Harold lives in Louisville with his companion Dona Marcia

All sincere seekers are welcome.  $10 for pay-as-you-go attendees; No charge for LES pre-pay Members.

 

Click here for location, map and directions

Feb 04

February 11, 2015 – Philosophy – The Beginning

Ancient History, Celebration, Cosmology, Philosophy Comments Off on February 11, 2015 – Philosophy – The Beginning

Join us Wednesday February 11, 2015 at 6:30 PM for “Philosophy -The Beginning.”

This meeting marks the 4th anniversary of the first official LES meeting. Join us for champagne and cake as we celebrate the past 4 years and toast the future of LES!

In this meeting we’re going to watch the first two lectures in a series called “The Great Ideas of Philosophy.” Each lecture is approximately 30 minutes long and is taught by Professor Daniel N. Robinson PhD, a member of the philosophy faculty at Oxford University, where he has lectured annually since 1991. He is also Distinguished Professor, Emeritus, at Georgetown University, on whose faculty he served for 30 years. He was formerly Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Columbia University, and has held positions at Amherst College and at Princeton University. He is the author or editor of more than forty books.

Lecture 1- is entitled “From the Upanishads to Homer,” and begins with a brief description of what philosophy is. The translation of the word philosophy is love of wisdom; and wisdom comes only in Truth. To be a student of philosophy we are morally bound to go wherever Truth leads. Philosophy confronts three problems in the search for Truth – Knowledge (What is knowledge and how do we obtain it?); Conduct (What kind of life should one live and what actions represent moral conduct?); and Governance (What is wise governance?) Philosophers seek answers to all three of these questions.

The first lecture continues by pointing out contrasts between Eastern and Western philosophies. The Upanishads from India taught there is an Universal Soul or Cosmic Atman of which humanity and all living creatures are a part. Greek philosophers taught that humanity was separate from the Gods who created the Universe; and that human fate was entirely different from that of the Gods. They further taught that human life is filled with irony – that often the very attributes which motivate an individual’s code in life result in the eventual downfall of the individual.

Lecture 2 –  entitled “Philosophy – Did the Greeks Invent It” continues showing the contrasts between Eastern and Western thought, and provides information on how the Greek philosophy developed and spread in the Western world.  The Greeks believed that philosophy earns its Truth by working for it – that Truth depends on evidence. Without evidence there is no Truth. Without Truth there is no Wisdom. To reach Truth, one must remain skeptical and challenge even the most fundamental of beliefs.

Both lectures refer to Homer and the Iliad. Most of us learned about Homer and read some parts of the Iliad in high school Literature Class. Those of us who pursued degrees in the Humanities delved deeper in college. Time  has a way of stealing or at least blurring some knowledge from past learning. Some useful links are included below if you would like a refresher course on Homer, and why the Iliad is such an important key to understanding the mindset of antiquity. The information in these links is far from complete. If you’re interested in researching further you’ll find other links on the Internet – some to  various translations of the complete works of Homer.  Also included is a link with information about the Upanishads.

Note:  It is NOT necessary to explore these links to understand and enjoy the lectures. You’ll enjoy and understand both lectures even if Homer, the Iliad and the Upanishads are all unknown to you. The links are included just in case you want to learn more about the topics discussed in the lectures. Professor Robinson is engaging and does a great job of laying a basic foundation of philosophy in these two lectures. (He also bears a remarkable resemblance to one of our founders. You can decide who when you watch the lectures.) We’ll have time after each lecture to discuss any thoughts that arise while watching, or to share additional knowledge.

LES was founded on the idea of discovering Truth. In the past we’ve sometimes meandered from our original intent and will do so in the future, which is fine. This presentation, however, is consistent with the original intent of exploring ways to discover Truth.  Hope you’ll join us!

Useful links:

Homer

The Iliad

Upanishads

All sincere seekers are welcome.  $10 for pay-as-you-go attendees; No charge for LES pre-pay Members.

 

Click here for location, map and directions

Oct 26

Special Interest Group (SIG) – Wednesday October 29, 2014: COSMOS & Halloween Celebration

Ancient History, Cosmology, Geology, Science, Uncategorized Comments Off on Special Interest Group (SIG) – Wednesday October 29, 2014: COSMOS & Halloween Celebration

Wednesday, October 29, @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

 

NOTE: This group does NOT replace our regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Wednesday presentation meetings. For more information on SIGs, please check out the SIG link.

This SIG is FREE for all Pre-Paid LES Members! Others are invited to attend for $5 per meeting to help cover the cost of food and drink. All are welcome! (On the menu: Vegetable Soup, Cornbread, Apple Cider and Halloween Treats.) Halloween costumes are optional, but welcome and will certainly add to the fun!!

In our final COSMOS SIG we’ll learn more about the planet Venus. Venus, known as Aphrodite in Greek Mythology, was regarded as the Goddess of Love. Roman mythology also regarded Venus as the Mother of Rome. Venus is sometimes referred to as Earth’s sister.  We know more about Venus than our ancient counterparts and we know that Venus is very different from Earth. In the first episode we’ll learn about some of those differences and how some are attributable to our home planet’s ability breathe. Yes, the Earth does breathe!!

In the second episode we’ll hear about one of the greatest human accomplishments, The Library at Alexandria. Construction began in the 3rd century BC and the Library flourished until 391 AD. So much knowledge that had been carefully gathered over centuries was lost when the Library was destroyed. Some of that knowledge has been rediscovered in the centuries since, but still we  must wonder at what was lost that may never be known again. The final episode includes some new information and  a brief look back at some of the people and topics covered in previous episodes. The series is beautifully and appropriately concluded with Carl Sagan’s “The Pale Blue Dot.”

Because each episode stands on its own with different subject matter, it’s not necessary to see all the episodes to follow the series. But, each episode is packed with information and all episodes are beautifully done and entertaining, so attend all if you can.

Note:  This is the final COSMOS SIG meeting. Hope all of you have enjoyed it!

We’ll have a greeter at the front door till 6:05. After that, late entrants may call the phone number posted on the door for admittance. Hope to see you there!!

For additional information about the COSMOS SIG, please refer to the the August 5th post announcing the SIG.

“The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be…”

“…we are all star stuff…and on a journey to go back to our origin...”  –  Carl Sagan

Click here for our NEW LOCATION (map and directions)

A calendar of upcoming meeting topics can be found here.

Oct 13

Special Interest Group (SIG) – Wednesday October 15, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie

Ancient History, Cosmology, Science Comments Off on Special Interest Group (SIG) – Wednesday October 15, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie

Wednesday, October 15, @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

NOTE: This group does NOT replace our regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Wednesday presentation meetings. For more information on SIGs, please check out the SIG link.

This SIG is FREE for all Pre-Paid LES Members! Others are invited to attend for $5 per meeting to help cover the cost of food and drink. All are welcome! (On the menu: Variety of appetizers including baked brie, artichoke dip, cheese and crackers.)

In our fifth COSMOS SIG meeting we’ll travel to Nova Scotia to learn about the Permian world, and to Siberia to learn about the causes of the “Great Dying” – the extinction that was “…the closest life on Earth has ever come to annihilation…9 out of ten of all species of plants and animals died off.” As we learn about the distant past, we come to realize that “we’re a species of amnesiacs  trying to learn who we were and what happened before we awakened.” Once more we’ll learn about some of the people who contributed to our awakening, people like Alfred Wegener and Maria Tharp.

In the second episode we’ll learn about the civilization of Uruk (now Iraq) where the concept of a city was developed; and about the Akkadian Princess, Enheduana, the first person in recorded history to sign her name to a written work. Enheduana dreamed of immortality as did Gilgamesh, whose epic story of heroism has been retold as many of the stories that reside in the Bible. Noah’s Ark is an example of a story first told by Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh,  dreamed of immortality and he lives on today thru his epic writing. We’ll learn about the possibility of real arks that may have delivered life to Earth.  We’ll hear several theories about how life on this planet may have originated – including the possibility that life came to Earth from Mars, Venus or some distant star system. We’ll hear how the Nakhla Meteorite supports that theory. We’ll  see old newsreels from 1946 about Project Diana – when Earth sent its first message into interstellar space. Finally, we’ll consider our current responsibility to ensure that human life continues long after our beloved Earth is no longer habitable.

Because each episode stands on its own with different subject matter, it’s not necessary to see all the episodes to follow the series. But, each episode is packed with information and all episodes are beautifully done and entertaining, so attend all if you can.

Note:  The final episodes COSMOS SIG meetings will take place on Wed., October 15; and Wed., October 29 from 6:00 – 8:30 PM.

We’ll have a greeter at the front door till 6:05. After that, late entrants may call the phone number posted on the door for admittance. Hope to see you there!!

For additional information about the COSMOS SIG, please refer to the the August 5th post announcing the SIG.

“The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be…”

“…we are all star stuff…and on a journey to go back to our origin...”  –  Carl Sagan

Click here for our NEW LOCATION (map and directions)

A calendar of upcoming meeting topics can be found here.

Sep 29

Special Interest Group (SIG) – Wednesday October 1, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie

Cosmology, Science 2 Comments »

Wednesday, October 1, @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

NOTE: This group does NOT replace our regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Wednesday presentation meetings. For more information on SIGs, please check out the SIG link.

This SIG is FREE for all Pre-Paid LES Members! Others are invited to attend for $5 per meeting to help cover the cost of food and drink. All are welcome! (On the menu: Pizza!)

In our fourth COSMOS SIG meeting we’ll learn how astrophysicists determine the make up, the age and the eventual fate of  the stars we see in our night sky. You may be surprised when you learn who developed the method for doing so and how the method at first flew in the face of conventional scientific evidence. But, science must eventually accept carefully gathered evidence, and as the author of what is regarded the the most brilliant PhD thesis ever written written in astronomy wrote, “If you are sure of your facts, you should defend your position.” We’ll hear several legends about the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. We’ll also hear about the Carina Nebula and Eta Carinae which may go hypernova in our lifetimes!! The Universe wastes nothing – stars to dust and dust to stars – the ultimate reincarnation!!

In the second episode we’ll learn about the life of another genius who transformed our world, a child born into poverty with a speech impediment. After being treated cruelly by a teacher as a small boy because of this impediment,  he never returned to school. But genius combined with hard work and passion can overcome poverty and cruelty as it did in Michael Faraday’s life. His life, work and discoveries started a revolution and changed the course of all our lives. Faraday did something else. He made science accessible to those of us, young and old, who don’t possess his genius. His tradition of doing so has continued since. This episode also points to the importance of partnerships in life and especially in accomplishing major breakthroughs. John Donne wrote, “…No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…”  The best partnerships are the ones where the weaknesses of one are bolstered by the strengths of the other. Such was the partnership between Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell.

Because each episode stands on its own with different subject matter, it’s not necessary to see all the episodes to follow the series. But, each episode is packed with information and all episodes are beautifully done and entertaining, so attend all if you can.

Note:  The final three COSMOS SIG meetings will take place on Wed., October 1; Wed., October 15; and Wed., October 29 from 6:00 – 8:30 PM.

We’ll have a greeter at the front door till 6:05. After that, late entrants may call the phone number posted on the door for admittance. Hope to see you there!!

For additional information about the COSMOS SIG, please refer to the the August 5th post announcing the SIG.

“The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be…”

“…we are all star stuff…and on a journey to go back to our origin...”  –  Carl Sagan

Click here for our NEW LOCATION (map and directions)

A calendar of upcoming meeting topics can be found here.

Aug 28

Special Interest Group (SIG) – Tuesday September 2, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie

Ancient History, Conspiracy, Cosmology, Geology, History, Philosophy, Science Comments Off on Special Interest Group (SIG) – Tuesday September 2, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie

Tuesday, September 2nd @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

NOTE: This group does NOT replace our regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Wednesday presentation meetings. For more information on SIGs, please check out the SIG link.

This SIG is FREE for all Pre-Paid LES Members! Others are invited to attend for $5 per meeting to help cover the cost of food and drink. All are welcome! (On the menu: Pasta salad with almonds and sun dried tomatoes, bread and butter, and cheesecake!)

In our third COSMOS SIG meeting we’ll learn about a tiny creature who has survived all the previous mass extinctions on Earth, and who outnumber humans a billion to one –  the tardigrades. We’ll also hear about a secret the plants know that science is still trying to understand.  Mastering that secret would totally eliminate the need for any other fuel to power the entire planet! We’ll hear about how the ancient Greek philosophers, Thales and Democritus, helped to change the worldview of  government, God and our place in the universe. We’ll also visit a very strange place deep underground, Super-Kamioka.

In the second episode we’ll learn about a conspiracy “…one of the first times that the authority of science was used  to cloak a threat to public health…”  This conspiracy threatened the well-being of both humans and other living creatures who share our planet. Behind the conspiracy were some unscrupulous and powerful people motivated by something other than the search for truth.  Some truths can be revealed only through years of painstaking research and data collection.  Less scrupulous people sometimes manipulate that data and spin it so that the end result represents something other than the truth.  The conspiracy failed thanks to an unwavering scientist, named Clair Patterson, and those who supported and encouraged his work.  Patterson waged a twenty-year fight against those misinterpretations – and, in this case truth prevailed!  We’re all victors in Patterson’s victory.

Because each episode stands on its own with different subject matter, it’s not necessary to see all the episodes to follow the series. But, each episode is packed with information and all episodes are beautifully done and entertaining, so attend all if you can.

Note:  The final three COSMOS SIG meetings will take place on Wed., October 1; Wed., October 15; and Wed., October 29 from 6:00 – 8:30 PM.

We’ll have a greeter at the front door till 6:05. After that, late entrants may call the phone number posted on the door for admittance. Hope to see you there!!

For additional information about the COSMOS SIG, please refer to the the August 5th post announcing the SIG.

“The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be…”

“…we are all star stuff…and on a journey to go back to our origin...”  –  Carl Sagan

Click here for our NEW LOCATION (map and directions)

A calendar of upcoming meeting topics can be found here.

Aug 19

August 27, 2014 (Wednesday) – What We Learn About Earth’s Climate by Studying Other Planets

Cosmology, Geoengineering, Science, Weather and Climate Comments Off on August 27, 2014 (Wednesday) – What We Learn About Earth’s Climate by Studying Other Planets

Join the Louisville Esoteric Society on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at 6:30 PM for our next meeting:  “What We Learn About Earth’s Climate by Studying Other Planets“ presented by Dr. Tim Dowling.

Dr. Tim Dowling, professor and director of the atmospheric science program at the University of Louisville, will speak about what we have learned about weather and climate from 60 years of space exploration, and how it affects our understanding of the home planet.
Comparative planetology helps to make this complicated subject tractable and sets Earth in a broad setting that highlights its intrinsic beauty, but also underscores its vulnerability.  Dr. Dowling will address several of the questions concerning weather and climate forwarded to him by our members, in an interactive session that will be informative and thought provoking.

 

Prof. Dowling studies planetary atmospheres and specializes in atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics. He is the Principal Investigator on the development of the EPIC Atmospheric model, funded by NASA and NSF, which is a general circulation model (GCM) designed for planetary applications. EPIC stands for “Explicit Planetary Isentropic Coordinate” and is the leading model for the atmospheres of the gas giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The model can also be used to simulate the atmospheres of terrestrial-class atmospheres, including Venus, Earth, Mars and Titan (a large moon of Saturn with a substantial atmosphere). Some topics Prof. Dowling and his students and postdocs are working on include: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, thunderstorms on Jupiter and Saturn, jet-stream stability, Venus and Titan spinup and superrotation, and the dynamics of vortices and clouds on Uranus and Neptune.

All sincere seekers are welcome.  $10 for pay-as-you-go attendees; No charge for LES pre-pay Members.

[Pre-pay memberships are offered at discounted rates. Pick up a brochure at LES HQ for more information about the rates and benefits of becoming a pre-pay LES Member.]

 

Click here for our NEW location (map and directions)

We’re adding additional events to our calendar – our normal twice-monthly presentations plus SIGs (Special Interest Groups) and Member-only social events. Check it frequently here for updates!

Aug 14

Special Interest Group (SIG) – Tuesday August 19, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie

Ancient History, Cosmology, History, Philosophy, Science Comments Off on Special Interest Group (SIG) – Tuesday August 19, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie

August 19 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

NOTE: This group does NOT replace our regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Wednesday presentation meetings. For more information on SIGs, please check out the SIG link.

This SIG is FREE for all Pre-Paid LES Members! Others are invited to attend for $5 per meeting to help cover the cost of food and drink. All are welcome! (A variety of sandwiches – some vegetarian – and chips, lemon bars and sin bars are on the menu for the second meeting.)

In our second COSMOS SIG meeting we’ll view two more episodes and learn about a secret code embedded in light and sound waves. We’ll learn about the people, who discovered the code and the coincidences (or, were they?) which made those discoveries possible. Breaking those codes yielded some powerful knowledge about the universe.

We’ll also learn about Mo Tzu, a Chinese philosopher and teacher (470 – 391 BC) , who believed in and taught democratic principles-  and Ibn Alhazin (965 -1040AD), an Islamic polymath and philosopher, who laid the groundwork for the scientific method still used today.  One of my personal favorite quotes is from Ibn Alhazen…”Finding truth is difficult and the road to it is rough. As seekers of the truth you will be wise to withhold judgement and not simply put your trust in the writings of the ancients.You must question and critically examine those writings from every side. You must submit only to argument and experiment…and not to the sayings of any person. For every human being is vulnerable to all kinds of imperfection. As seekers of the truth we must also suspect and question…our own ideas as we perform our investigations…to avoid falling into prejudice or careless thinking. Follow this course and truth will be revealed to you.”

Because each episode stands on its own with different subject matter, it’s not necessary to see all the episodes to follow the series. But, each episode is packed with information and all episodes are beautifully done and entertaining, so attend all if you can.

We’ll have a greeter at the front door till 6:05. After that, late entrants may call the phone number posted on the door for admittance. Hope to see you there!!

For additional information about the COSMOS SIG, please refer to the the August 5th post announcing the SIG.

“The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be…”

“…we are all star stuff…and on a journey to go back to our origin...”  –  Carl Sagan

Click here for our NEW LOCATION (map and directions)

A calendar of upcoming meeting topics can be found here.

Aug 07

August 13, 2014 (Wednesday) – The Illusion of Time & Are We Real: Missing Pieces of the Puzzle

Cosmology 1 Comment »

 

Join the Louisville Esoteric Society on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at 6:30 PM for our next meeting:   “The Illusion of Time & Are We Real: Missing Pieces of the Puzzle“ presented by John Pickard.

John will be presenting the following videos and discussion:

The Illusion of Time

Time. We waste it, save it, kill it, make it. The world runs on it. Yet ask physicists what time actually is, and the answer might shock you: They have no idea. Even more surprising, the deep sense we have of time passing from present to past may be nothing more than an illusion. How can our understanding of something so familiar be so wrong? In search of answers, Brian Greene takes us on the ultimate time-traveling adventure, hurtling 50 years into the future before stepping into a wormhole to travel back to the past. Along the way, he will reveal a new way of thinking about time in which moments past, present, and future—from the reign of T. Rex to the birth of your great-great-grandchildren—exist all at once. This journey will bring us all the way back to the Big Bang, where physicists think the ultimate secrets of time may be hidden. You’ll never look at your wristwatch the same way again.

What We Still Don’t Know – Are We Real?

The Universe is still a place of mystery and wonder. As a cosmologist, Sir Martin Rees is exhilarated that we can make some progress towards tackling what seem very fundamental questions. Was there a beginning? Are we alone? What’s the future of the cosmos? What is the nature of reality? With each advance, new questions come into sharper focus. The key issue is what we still don’t know. There is a fundamental chasm in our understanding of ourselves, the universe, and everything. To solve this, Sir Martin takes us on a mind-boggling journey through multiple universes to post-biological life. On the way we learn of the disturbing possibility that we could be the product of someone else’s experiment.

All sincere seekers are welcome.  $10 for pay-as-you-go attendees; No charge for LES pre-pay Members.

[Pre-pay memberships are offered at discounted rates. Pick up a brochure at LES HQ for more information about the rates and benefits of becoming a pre-pay LES Member.]

 

Click here for our NEW location (map and directions)

We’re adding additional events to our calendar – our normal twice-monthly presentations plus SIGs (Special Interest Groups) and Member-only social events. Check it frequently here for updates!

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