"Central Heating" in traditional Korean House

I have always wondered how the people of ancient Korea keep warm during their cold winters. The people have a tradition of sleeping and sitting on the floor, and that apparently includes even their ancient Emperors. In the course of my travel I experienced the central heating in some Korean hotels through hot water pipes buried on their cement floor.

I visited the Korean Cultural Village in Seoul in December 08 to find out more about their culture, and was shown an exhibit of a more primitive version of their innovative "central heating" system. Apparently the traditional wooden Korean houses are built on low stilts with a hold dug in the ground and lined by cement walls to create a "fire place" to generate the heating for the building. The floors are lined with cement slabs to prevent the house from catching fire.

Big Earthquakes Hit Indonesia Jan 09

On 4th Jan 2009 at 4.43 am, the first of a series of earthquakes with a 7.6 magnitude struck about 85 km from Manokwari, a coastal town with a population of 167,000. A 7.5-magnitude aftershock and a series of smaller earthquakes latter rattled the region. The newspapers this morning reported four deaths and 52 people injured.

Volcanic eruptions are generally Uranus-Pluto events with sometimes the addition of Mars symbolism. This is because Uranus signifies the unpredictability of the event, Pluto the excessive power of the eruption, and Mars adds the quality of violence and aggressiveness. I decided to look at Indonesia's National Chart cast at 9:22 am GMT on 27th Dec 1949 in Jakarta and cast the event as for 4:43 am, 4th Jan 09 in Monkwari. The astrological findings are amazing.

(a) Transit Pluto is in a square to Indonesia's Mars - indicating the immense power of the volcanic eruption
(b) Transit Uranus is an exact opposition to Indonesia's Saturn - signifying the sudden fear it has brought. In fact the Indonesian government issued a Tsunami warning, which led to immediate mass fleeing of the inhabitants
(c) Transit Mars is in exact conjunction with Indonesia's Sun - suggesting that the earthquake has indeed caused a major stir in the country.

Bangkok City Fire of 1st Jan 09

As I was watching TV this evening I was suddenly taken aback by news of the New Year Fire in Bangkok. Apparently at about 9:47 am this morning a fire broke out in a night club and by the time of the 11 pm news, 61 people died and more than a hundred were injured as a result of the stampede.

I immediately reached out for Thailand's National Chart cast for Bangkok and compared it with the transits for the day. The results are startling:
(a) Transit Saturn is in an exact conjunction with Bangkok's South Node; in exact sextile with Bangkok's Pluto and rules the 8th house of death. Saturn is noted to have just turned retrograde eight hours earlier at 1:08 am
(b) Transit Uranus is in an exact square with Bangkok's Ascendant
(c) Transit Pluto is in opposition to Bangkok's Sun within less than 1 degree orb.

Saturn signifies fear and morbidity, Uranus suggests suddenness and unpredictability whereas Pluto indicates powerful, hidden forces. All these are clearcut astrological significators of a sudden catastrophic event pointing to the presence of associated death and fear. There are two astrological timers here - the nodal axis and retrogradation of Saturn. Whenever Saturn or any outer planet is seen to be moving backwards in the sky it generally signifies the occurrence of an outer world event, in this case, the fire.

Astrology of Kuala Lumpur's Landslides

"Buried Alive" is the headline of the front page of today's newspapers. The article reports two thousand people trapped and four died as a result of a massive landslide near Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The disaster happened yesterday at 4 am when most people were still asleep in Bukit Antarabangsa.

However, yesterday's landslide want not the first to hit Bukit Antarabangsa. Landslides have clamed at least 64 lives around the area in the last 15 years including the four deaths yesterday. Geologists have issued warnings of the area's vulnerability to landslides, but developers have continued to build homes there and people have continued to purchase them. It sounds very much as if some forces of destiny are at work. It also behoves me to reflect on the issue to see if there is any astrological link.

I decided to use the chart of Independence of Malaya on 31st August 1957 for the analysis. According to Campion's "Book of World Horoscopes" this is the more popularly used chart among Malaysian Vedic astrologers. The chart is set at 12 midnight.

There have been five landslides in Antarabangsa in 1993. I have looked up the planetary transits to the national chart and they are as follows:

[1] Dec 11, 1993 - transit Nodal Axis conjunct ASC-DES axis; transit Pluto square MC; transit Saturn conjunct MC
One of the two Highland Towers condominium blocks Built below Antarabangsa collapses due to a landslide killing 48 people. The symbolism of the combination of Pluto, Saturn and the Midheaven aptly describes an event that involves massive destruction of structures with death that catches the public eye.The nodal axis is often a good indicator of the timing of catastrophic events.

[2] May 15, 1999 - transit Saturn square Uranus; transit Pluto trine Uranus; transit Chiron conjunct DES
A big landslide cuts off the only access road to Bukit Antarabangsa, trapping 10,000 residents for days. No casualties. Uranus signifies the sudden and the unexpected and this happens on solid structures as indicated by Saturn. Pluto is also involved but as a trine with Uranus indicating the transformation of the lives of many individuals. The asteroid Chiron signifies pain and suffering and its conjucntion with the ASC-DES axis is expected in natural disasters.

[3] Nov 20, 2002 - transit Uranus conjunct MC; transit Neptune opposite Uranus
A two-storey bungalow belonging to a prominent banker collapses after a landslide, killing eight people. Transt Uranus conjunct MC agan signifies sudden changes in the way the event defines the image of the area in the public's eyes. Neptune opposite Uranus suddenly awakens people to a drastic occurence.

[4] May 31, 2006 - transit Uranus opposite Mars; transit Pluto square Mercury; transit Saturn trine Saturn
Unfortunately memories are short and four years later, four indonesians die as a landslide near Bukit Antarabangsa levels three rows of longhouses in a squatter area. This time Uranus opposite Mars indicates a sudden and major event involving violence and morbidity.

[5] Dec 6, 2008 - transit Nodal Axis square Nodal Axis; transit Pluto trine Pluto
A massive landslide mows through 14 bungalows, killing four people in the area. One person is still missing. Again, Pluto as the planet of power and intensity is invoved. The timing function of the nodal axis is again very well illustrated in this catastrophe.

The association of nearly all the above catastrophic events with either Saturn and/or the Nodal Axis is very suggestive of karmic relationships in action.

Where is My Angel? (2)

Where is my Angel? - Will come in Time

In the fall of 2004, I was in Edinburgh to attend a conference. After the event, I took a day trip to visit the Scottish Highlands to enjoy the fresh air and scenery, visit the places of the legendary Log Nest and where Harry Potter is supposed to have grown up and of course, and of course, to listen to the Scottish bagpipes music.

In one of the souvenir shops, I came upon an Angel-Clock which immediately attracted my attention. It seemed to remind me: "my angel will eventually appear in good time." I purchased it on the spot.

Where are my angels? - They just appeared

Exactly twenty years ago, I bought an "angel toy" from Sweden. However, I have forgotten about it until I rediscover it during a recent spring cleaning.

The "toy" is really an interior household display that is made of four candles in their holders and four trumpet-carrying angels that will move in a merry-go-round manner, once the four candles are lighted up and burning. The hot air from the candle flame would rise and the air current would propel the light metal frame to rotate.

As the angels swirl round in motion with their trumpets, they give a sense that they are bringing glad tidings and harmony to the home. It is as if I can "hear" the sounds of trumpet in my head as they move.

Where is My Angel?

A year ago, I was acquainted with an engineer informally at a corporate gathering. He is an innovator cum enterpreneur and owns his own company. As we struck up a conversation, he suddenly asked me for a question, and said he will formulate a poem impromtu for me. I paused and asked him: "Where is my angel?". He immediately opened his briefcase, took out a sheet of A4 paper and his calligraphy pen and wrote the following passage:

Angel is deemed a blissful wish
that brings blessing to you
So angel seldom appear in our real life
even in our sweetest of dreams
So no matter where you reach
How hard you seek
Even a real angel heaven sent
Is far from your expectation
But if you face the cruel reality
You discern the imperfection even exist in heaven
Then you see some bliss, some wisdom, some trustful friendship
even in the most wicked existence
Then you take it as an angel
An angel that enriches you
As well as chastising you.

signed
2007-11-30

Sword and Sabre Industry

When I stepped into Lijiang Ancient Town, I came across a very unusual industry.

Apparently there are two shops in this old town that display a wide range of designs of swords and sabres for sale. Their designs were simply beautiful and the metalwork all handcrafted.

For a moment I was wondering where the market for this product may come from. Soon I learned that it is common practice for Tibetans to wear a short sword or sabre by their side as part of their normal outfit.

I scrutinized their products and could not help but marvel at the quality of their artwork. They were all made by hand. Apparently the two shops that sell swords and sabres are both family businesses that have thriving for many generations. It is also part of their spirit to preserve a vanishing skill and hang on to a sunset industry.

I did not purchase any of them because I knew I will not be able to get the "weapons" past the customs when I return home!