ascend

PEA GREEN BOAT Midsummer 2012

2

INTERVIEW: Snark Ascending — 5 SCIENCE: Right Ascension —

6 POEM: Falling — 7 MATH: Fibonacci Numbers — 8

THOUGHTS: Biological Ascension — 12 ART: ...flight... 15

FICTION: Hairline — 16 PINK — 17 THOUGHTS:

Seeing Patterns — 18 INTERVIEW: Life in 5D — 20

HOW-TO: Flight — 22 POEM: Wake me — 24

THOUGHTS: “Is the Ascendant me…” — 25 INTERVIEW: Angel

Ladies — 27 POEM: A Schizophrenic Religion — 32 IN-

TERVIEW: Waxing Paradoxical — 34 POST SCRIPT — 38

Acknowledgements — 40

INTERVIEW: Snark Ascending — 5 SCIENCE: Right Ascension —

6 POEM: Falling — 7 MATH: Fibonacci Numbers — 8

THOUGHTS: Biological Ascension — 12 ART: ...flight... 15

FICTION: Hairline — 16 PINK — 17 THOUGHTS:

Seeing Patterns — 18 INTERVIEW: Life in 5D — 20

HOW-TO: Flight — 22 POEM: Wake me — 24

THOUGHTS: “Is the Ascendant me…” — 25 INTERVIEW: Angel

Ladies — 27 POEM: A Schizophrenic Religion — 32 IN-

TERVIEW: Waxing Paradoxical — 34 POST SCRIPT — 38

Acknowledgements — 40

IN THIS ISSUE

3

“That which is below is like that which is above …”

The first time I read those words, I realized

everything must rise.

Sir Isaac Newton -- physi-

cist, mathematician, as-

tronomer, natural philoso-

pher, alchemist, and theo-

logian -- is probably the

most influential scientist

who has ever lived. His

most famous work,

Philosophiæ Naturalis

Principia Mathematica( 1687) described uni-

versal gravitation and the three laws of mo-

tion, significantly advancing the Scientific

Revolution. However, few are aware that

Newton was a deeply religious, unorthodox

Christian, and wrote more on Biblical inter-

pretation and the occult, than he did on mat-

ters of science and mathematics. Among

Newton’s more esoteric works can be found a

translation of the magnum opus of Alchemy -

- the Tabula Smaragdina, more commonly

known as the Emerald Tablet. The cryptic text

dates back to between 650 and 830 AD and is

supposed to hold “the secrets of secrets,”

Transmutation -- turning one object into an-

other object at the most basic level. This con-

cept has generated a great deal of excitement

ABOUT THIS ISSUE

over the centuries, particularly in regards to the

possibility of changing ordinary metals into

gold.

Here is part of Newton’s translation:

Tis true without lying, certain most true. That

which is below is like that which is above that

which is above is like that which is below to

do the miracles of one only thing. And as all

things have been arose from one by the me-

diation of one: so all things have their birth

from this one thing by adaptation. The Sun is

its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath

carried it in its belly, the earth its nurse. The

father of all perfection in the whole world is

here. Its force or power is entire if it be con-

verted into earth. Separate thou the earth

from the fire, the subtle from the gross sweet-

ly with great industry. It ascends from the

earth to the heaven again it descends to the

earth and receives the force of things superior

and inferior. By this means ye shall have the

glory of the whole world thereby all obscurity

shall fly from you….

What does it mean? No one really knows,

though people never seem to tire of guessing.

What does it have to do with this issue of PEA

GREEN BOAT? Maybe nothing. Maybe every-

thing.

You decide. Síochán leat

4

as·cend [uh-send]

verb (used without object)

1. to move, climb, or go upward; mount;

rise: The airplane ascended into the clouds.

2. to slant upward.

3. to rise to a higher point, rank, or de-

gree; proceed from an inferior to a superi-

or degree or level: to ascend to the presi-

dency.

4. to go toward the source or beginning;

go back in time.

5. Music . to rise in pitch; pass from any

tone to a higher one.

5

PEA GREEN BOAT: What inspired your blog

The Snark Ascending? Why blog?

Nicola McEldowney: The Snark Ascending

was the outgrowth of a guest post I did for a

college blog when I was a freshman. One of

my classmates had just contributed a post

about her awesome summer internship,

where she spent her days saving the world

from injustice, or cellulite, or something. I was

moved to respond with an account of my on

summer job in Customer Service at the super-

market from the bowels of hell, where I spent

my days doling out refunds for meat that had

developed bacteria so virulent it would actu-

ally leap out and attack you, snarling and

foaming at the mouth. Or maybe those were

my co-workers. At any rate, I decided I need-

ed my own forum so the Snark Ascending

was born. That same supermarket experience

also inspired my musical, Aisle Six (really),

which got performed last spring in New York,

so never let it be said I don't mine material

for all its comic worth.

PGB: In your opinion, is blogging changing

the way people share information?

NM: Oh, absolutely. For example, if nowadays

you wish to call some other girl a slut, you

can do it by Twitter, whereas in our forefa-

thers' day, if you wanted to call some other

girl a slut, you had to call her a slut by Pony

Express, AND we had to walk 50 miles to

school IN THE SNOW BAREFOOT YOU UN-

GRATEFUL LITTLE TWERP. DRINK YOUR MILK.

No, I'm kidding. Seriously, if we didn't have

blogging, we wouldn't have indispensable

resources such as The Caldor Rainbow, where

you can see photographs of Dunkin' Donuts

stores that no longer exist. Try to top THAT,

The Past.

PGB: Is blogging creating a legacy for future

generations?

NM: Yes, assuming they care a whole lot

about the outfits of the celebrities of past

generations.

PGB: What is a franglophone?

NM: A franglophone is a bilingual person

who, having mastered both French and Eng-

lish, can now speak neither language correct-

ly. The now-defunct Punch magazine

had Let's Parler Franglais!, an excellent fea-

ture devoted to this phenomenon. I mention

this just as an excuse to cite my favorite quo-

tation: "Birmingham! Quel dump."

Interview with blogger Nicola McEldowney

Snark Ascending

INTERVIEW

L

6

The stars on the celestial sphere are like cities

on the globe. Cities are located on the globe

using latitude and longitude. Longitude says

how far the city is east or west along the

Earth's equator; latitude says how far a city is

north or south of the Earth's equator.

Right ascension (RA) is like longitude. It locates where a star is along the celestial equator. The

zero point of longitude has been chosen to be where the line straight down from the Greenwich

Observatory in England meets the equator. The zero point for right ascension is the vernal equi-

nox. To find the right ascension of a star follow an hour circle "straight down" from the star to

the celestial equator. The angle from the vernal equinox eastward to the foot of that hour circle

is the star's right ascension.

There is one oddity in right ascension: the unit used

to report the angle. Right ascensions are always rec-

orded in terms of hours, minutes, and seconds. One

hour of right ascension (1h) is 15°. Since 24x15°

=360°, there are 24h of right ascension around the

celestial equator. The reason for this oddity is that

the celestial sphere makes one full rotation (24h of

RA) in one day (24 hours of time). Thus the celestial

sphere advances about 1h of RA in an hour of time.

SCIENCE

Source: Dr. Tom Kirkman, astronomy program, The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University

7

If I could breathe

I would cry

If I could cry

I could breathe

I’m not afraid to die

I am afraid to fall

It’s Einstein’s theory

Falling needs no explanation

Gravity will absorb the speed

Of your fall

A person falling

Freely feels

No force of gravity

These are the thoughts

That bends fenders and tightens ropes

Nobody knows the sadness

Hiding behind blue eyes

That is cracked mirrors

Cloudy windows

Grey cotton

Snagging on black trees

Acting like thoughts

Even though

I put them there

Art and Poem by Cagney King

Falling POEM

8

where a and b are constants. Thus, it follows

from (1) that the solution is

(4)

Notice that

since (in fact

) which implies that

PGB: Why do some people refer to Fibonacci

numbers as “Nature’s numbers?”

DB: The Fibonacci numbers are referred to as

Nature’s numbers because they show up in so

many natural patterns in flora and fauna. For

example, in phyllotaxis (leaf arrangement).

The scales of a pineapples or sunflower cen-

ters tend to arrange themselves in spiraling

curves with slopes equal to ratios of succes-

sive Fibonacci numbers. These spiraling pat-

terns also show up in the structure of certain

shellfish.

.5

n n

nf

1 asn

n

fn

f

0.7 0.5,

0.618034

0 as .n n

PEA GREEN BOAT: What are Fibonacci numbers?

Denis Blackmore: The Fibonacci numbers are

comprised of an infinite sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, gen-

erated by the second-order difference equation

(1)

which was formulated by Leonardo of Pisa in 1202 as

a (rather crude) model for rabbit reproduction. His

assumptions were that the process started with a

single (male-female) pair, each such pair begets a

new such pair every two months, n = the number of

months, and rabbits are eternal.

Such equations have solutions in the form .

Substituting this in the difference equation and

setting n = 0 yields the necessary and sufficient quad-

ratic equation for r; namely

(2)

which (by the quadratic formula) has two solu-tions given by

(3)

The solution to (1) can therefore be found as

2 1 0 1, with 1,n n nf f f f f

n

nf r

2 1,r r

1 5 1 5: and : .

2 2r r

,n n

nf a b

Fibonacci numbers Interview with Denis Blackmore,

Professor of Mathematical Sciences

MATH

9

3) The golden ratio (golden mean, divine proportion) is the number that figured

prominently in the description of the Fibonacci numbers of 1). This number, which also can be

expressed as

has many interesting geometric properties and several artistic, almost magical ones as well. For

example, it has been said that the golden rectangle – having as its ratio of width to height – is

the most esthetically pleasing/perfect one in virtue of its golden proportion. Perhaps one reason

for this is that a golden rectangle is self-replicating in the following sense: As it follows from (2)

that

(5)

when a golden rectangle is

partitioned into a square of

side equal its height plus a

smaller rectangle, then the

smaller rectangle is also a

golden rectangle that is

smaller than the original by

a factor of Then the

smaller golden rectangle

can be similarly partitioned

to produce an analogously

scaled version of itself and so on, ad infinitum. If one joins the quarter circles with centers at

vertices and that pass through the two adjacent vertices in successive squares of the infinite rep-

lication, a spiral curve – called the golden spiral – is approximated (in fact, the true golden spi-

ral has the polar form )

And of course, we showed in our answer to 1) that the ratio of successive Fibonacci numbers

converges to the golden ratio as n increases. With just these few properties, it is not difficult to

get a sense of the almost mystical attraction that the golden mean possesses.

PGB: Why are people so drawn to the concept of Fibonacci numbers?

DB: As we already explained in our previous answers, Fibonacci numbers are rather ubiquitous

in nature and they are intimately linked to the golden mean. These are probably the most com-

pelling reason for their attraction for both experts and amateurs.

Moreover, important new features of the Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio seem to be dis-

(Continued on page 10)

(1 5) / 2

2cos( / 5) 1.618034,

11 ,

1/ .

2( / )r

10

covered on a quite regular basis. One such feature,

which is related to the continued fraction expan-

sion of the golden mean, has been discovered to be

of some considerable importance in nonlinear dy-

namics. The continued fraction expansion of the

golden mean follows easily from its definition (5),

namely

which happens to be the slowest converging con-

tinued fraction expansion there is. This can be

shown to manifest itself in the fact that invariant

circles in dynamical systems for which the system

moves around the circle at an angular velocity ap-

proaching (the rotation number is the golden

mean) are the ones most resistant to perturba-

tions; that is, they remain invariant closed curves

for the largest possible perturbations of the sys-

tem.

There is also another dynamical systems related

property of the Fibonacci numbers connected with

their appearance in phyllotaxis. Fibonacci patterns

in phyllotaxis can be “explained” to some degree in

terms of Nature’s tendency to minimize energy. A

planar model of such an energy minimizing map-

ping of the plane can be shown to produce the Fib-

onacci sequence. Such a planar map (which may

also be viewed as a mapping of the torus) is the

following:

(6)

The iterates Tn are generated by the difference

equation

which is equivalent to

so we obtain the Fibonacci difference equation (1)

for xn.

PGB: Do Fibonacci numbers tell us anything about

the world around us?

DB: It is difficult to say that the Fibonacci numbers

say anything of a truly causal nature about the

world around us, but one cannot help but be

amazed how often they and their related quantities

such as the golden ratio occur in natural patterns

in flora and fauna. The connections of the Fibonac-

ci numbers with numerous branches of mathemat-

ics, which are human constructs to be sure, but in

many cases have their roots in our efforts to repre-

sent nature, also is quite astounding.

So, the Fibonacci numbers may not in themselves

tell us much about nature, but they are rather in-

dispensable for a deeper understanding of the

world in which we live. Or perhaps there is a God,

an omniscient mathematician and omnipotent ar-

(Continued from page 9)

(Continued on page 11)

1 1 11 1 1 ,

1 11 1

11

( , ) : ( , ).T x y y x y

1 1( , ) ( , ) ( , ),n n n n n n nx y T x y y x y

2 1 1,n n n n n nx y x y x x

11

chitect, who, as opined by the great scientist Johannes Kepler, used the divine proportion as a

paradigm for Creation?

PGB: Why do people look for patterns in things?

DB: I think people seek patterns in things for several reasons, among which are the following:

Patterns make it easier to understand, explain and replicate things because they usually reveal

basic ideas or themes that simplify classification and provide what can be viewed as a rational

basis or plan underlying the composition of an object. A complete lack of any pattern is some-

what unsettling to us, because perfect randomness or chaos is virtually impossible to com-

pletely explain in familiar human terms. And finally, certain people, like scholars and academi-

cians look for patterns in things because it is both their job and an imperative part of their in-

nately curious nature to do so.

Suggested reading:

D. Blackmore and J. Kappraff, Integrable discrete dynamics and Fibonacci sequences, ZAMM 76

(1996), pp. 49-52.

H.S.M. Coxeter, Introduction to Geometry, Wiley, New York, 1969.

J. Kappraff, Connections: The Geometric Bridge between Art and Science, McGraw-Hill, New

York, 1991.

J. Kappraff, D. Blackmore and G. Adamson, Phyllotaxis as a dynamical system: A Study in Num-

ber, in Symmetry in Plants, R. Jean and D. Barabé, eds., World Scientific, Singapore, 1998.

(Continued from page 10)

L

“Ascendency is a quantitative attribute of an ecosys-

tem, defined as a function of the ecosystem's trophic net-

work. Ascendency is derived using mathematical tools

from information theory. It is intended to capture in a sin-

gle index the ability of an ecosystem to prevail against dis-

turbance by virtue of its combined organization and size.”

12

Did your DNA get sunburned during Janu-

ary 2012? Does your head feel like it’s three

times larger than normal…whatever

“normal” is at this point? How’s your diges-

tive tract been working, or rather, not work-

ing? How’s your Pituitary and other brain

glands feeling lately? Do the tops of your

eyes feel like they’re being pressed from

above by the amplified Light energies in

your brain/head? Is your body swollen, re-

taining fluid and/or bloated? How’s your

inner antenna—you’re spine feeling? Sore,

stiff, tight? How about your entire head and

crown chakra? How about your tailbone,

hips, pelvic area? How about your

heart? Has your heart suddenly been

pounding and having thudding palpita-

tions in your chest lately? How

about that nearly constant ring-

ing in your ears and head from

your brain, brain glands,

and DNA being further evolved

now?

When my biological Ascension

Process started in February

1999, my body reacted to the

1999 (and later) solar energies with

those lovely “Ascension Flu” symp-

toms; body and bone aches, chills,

headache, and the occasional sudden stab-

bing ice pick-like pains in certain bones for

a couple of seconds that literally took your

breath away. From the mid-1990s on I’ve

been periodically incapacitated by solar en-

ergies (solar flares, CMEs etc.) and was

forced to rest and/or nap if I could while I

had chills, severe body and bone aches and

pains, and numerous other ascension symp-

toms. Over the years these solar triggered

ascension symptoms have lessened and be-

come more easily dealt with, not because

the energies being transmitted have less-

ened since 1999 because they’ve steadily

increased, but it’s the way they affect our

bodies and why that’s changed.

These Cosmic and Galactic Light energies

By Blogger Denise Le Fay,

deniselefay.wordpress.com

13

being transmitted to and through our Sun are

rapidly evolving us, our bodies and conscious-

ness. As we’re increasingly altered and evolved

by these energies over the years, the pain we

feel from them, the areas of our bodies, brains,

DNA and everything else changes and feels

different to us. The ascension symptoms that

felt like they’d kill me

five, ten, thirteen

years ago are today

both much less painful

or non-existent because I’m carrying more

Light and less density within me which means

I’m vibrating faster and at a higher level now

as we all are. However, with our entry into

2012, these solar transmissions have amplified

tremendously so we’re once again dealing

with what feels like different and more potent

Light energies bombarding us, our bodies,

brains and consciousness now. Because of this

many people are currently feeling the solar

energies in different body-parts; our heads,

brains, and brain glands primarily. (Please re-

member those Stair Steps and that every per-

son is not standing on the same step or level

or timeline with this Process and because of

this everyone experiences these solar ascen-

sion symptoms in slightly different ways and in

different body-parts.)

With the start of 2010, the

solar Light Energies

caused pains and pres-

sure in one area in

the left (from the

old 3D system of

duality–female)

side of my head/

skull. My entire

scalp and skull felt

bruised and was sore constantly. The previous

and familiar “Ascension Flu” solar symptoms

had eased considerably with some of them

gone entirely, but in 2010 it was painfully clear

they were now focused in my/our heads,

brains, and brain glands (Pituitary and Pineal

primarily). With the larger solar flares/CME in

2010, 2011, and 2012 my body still experienc-

es chills like when you have a fever, but my

head has hurt with tremendous inner pains

and pressures (not

“headaches”) nearly con-

stantly. Even though this

head pain and pressure is

constant it increases and diminishes in waves.

The head pain is always there but sometimes

much more painfully so than at other minutes,

hours, days and nights.

Since 2010 I’ve felt these energies more in my

spine, the left side of my head, and my Crown

and Brow chakras. With the start of 2011, the-

se solar transmissions caused my entire head,

skull, eyes, jaw and into my sinuses to hurt and

feel bruised and sore constantly. There were

many months in 2011 when the pain was fo-

cused primarily on the right (from the old 3D

system of duality–male) side of my head.

Eventually the head pain and pressure was

everywhere and would move from the whole

head to an area on the right side, then back to

the left side, then to the back of my head

and neck, then to the

top, then the front and

down into the fore-

head and Brow chak-

ra. I could feel my Pi-

tuitary being changed

and connected, Rewired, in more

complex ways with my Pineal and oth-

er brain glands. Literally our two brain

halves have been Rewired to function as a

(from the new 5D system of polarity integra-

tion and resolution) unified organ. Along with

that our Pineal and Pituitary glands are being

THOUGHTS

14

L

Rewired, connected, evolved into far more

complex unified systems that can perceive

much, much more.

With the start of 2012, it’s felt like we’ve lived

six months worth of life in only the month of

January! This is a clue as to how fast the rest

of this year is going to unfold. The solar trans-

missions have shifted into final year mode and

are quickly integrating and transforming our

heads/brains/brain glands like never before. In

late 2011 and all of January 2012 I’m feeling

the energies in the tailbone and hips area too.

It seems we’re feeling these energies at both

the top and bottom—the head and base areas

primarily with the occasional heart expanding

palpitations and poundings as it becomes our

new ascended base of operations. It’s going to

be like this throughout 2012 so rest when you

need to and don’t try to push yourself during

these tremendous blasts and waves of higher

dimensional energies altering us. I’ve tried

pushing through the head pains and pressures

to work and/or to write which only cause me

to become nauseous and forced me to bed.

Lesson learned, now I rest and/or nap when

these amplified solar energies are doing what

they are and I suggest you do the same.

Here’s a list of some 2012 ascen-

sion solar symptoms I’m expe-

riencing and know you are too:

* severe head and skull pains

and pressures—not traditional

“headaches”

* severe eye pains and pres-

sures, blurred vision, sensitivi-

ty to light

* sinus pains, pres-

sures and soreness

* head pains and

pressures radiating

down into the temples and side jaw area

* constant ringing in the ears

* dizziness, sense of tipping or falling, feeling

ungrounded

* exaggerated sense of smell

* ultra-sensitive hearing

* hot flashes, cold flashes

* vivid weird dreams, psychically dreaming

other people’s dreams (collective)

* sore, bruised, tender scalp

* hair loss and/or thinning hair

* Crown chakra – top of head pains and pres-

sures

* Brow chakra – forehead pains and pressures

* pain and stiffness in spine

* body and legs/feet swelling and/or fluid re-

tention

* pain in tailbone and hip area

* heart palpitations, heart pounding while at

rest

* easily becoming breathless or winded

* exhaustion

* feeling like you only have an 1/8th of a tank

of fuel (energy) in you & once it’s gone you’re

exhausted again

* seeing brilliant white light or light flares em-

anating from around your head and/or upper

body

* seeing brilliant colored lights or balls of col-

ored light

* increasing knowing over linear

thinking

* perception of linear time further dis-

integrating into increasing spherical

“NOW” consciousness

growing happiness, joy, confidence,

peace.

Copyright © 2012–2013 Denise Le Fay. All Rights Reserved.

You may copy and redistribute this material so long as you

do not alter it in any way and the content remains com-

plete, credit is given to the author, and you include this

copyright notice and link.

http://deniselefay.wordpress.com/

15

...flight... by Gazza-NZ

16

Hairline.

His fingers hooked around the other side of the glass, dragging it across the shelf towards

him. As the base tipped over the edge his thumb wrapped around and his whole hand

squeezed tight. He held the glass up for a moment, looking through it to see his skin white

with pressure. He slowly lowered it to the work surface.

He tried to crush it. He wanted it to shatter into his blood. He squeezed even tight-

er and his hand started to shake. What would he do if it broke? Would Jenny call an ambu-

lance or would he have to do it himself? He called an ambulance at thirteen, but things

were different then. He imagined them both silent at the dinner table, her staring at the

pepper pot whilst he ripped up his salad leaves, hand blood serving as a dressing.

He dropped the glass down from a centimetre or so, the clamber was loud enough

to take him out of his trance. His left hand grabbed another tumbler from the shelf, much

easier, looser. Suave. He raised it over his left shoulder whilst unscrewing the cap with his

right hand.

“You?”

His forefinger flicked the cap off the bottle.

“Please”

The second glass dropped by the first, and he poured squash into them both before

circling them to the sink, one in each hand. With his left hand he pulled down the tap half-

way, filling the right glass first then the left. The left hand was used to push the handle

back up again, spilling a little squash as he did so.

Glasses filled he moved to the table, Jenny reaching for her own, which turned out

to be the stronger.

“Why don’t you drink wine, Dad?”

Tim sipped his squash, before cocking his head at her. She saw the need for expla-

nation

“All my friend’s parents drink wine.”

He placed the glass onto the place mat and picked up his cutlery.

“Why don’t you wear make-up?” He showed her the smile he was hiding. She hid

her own, choosing instead to stare at the pepper pot. He started ripping up his salad

leaves.

FICTION

L by Thomas Wingfield

17

This Page Intentionally Left Pink

18

I think the most basic reason that we look

for patterns in the natural world is that

patterns are terribly useful. Identifying

patterns allows us to predict the future, or

predict things that we can't observe. Pat-

terns let us see one element of the pattern

and know what came before and

what is going to come next. Pre-

dicting the future, even imper-

fectly, seems like it would be

a huge advantage. In fact,

our minds are so wired

for pattern recognition

that they regularly iden-

tify patterns where there

is no pattern at all. I

think this apparent

problem may be driven

by the fact that patterns

in nature are not always

reliable. Sometimes that

twig snapping is a harmless

deer. Sometimes its a leopard

about to pounce. It is probably

a better evolutionary bet for us

to have brains that are willing to believe

in the pattern that a twig-snap almost always pre-

cedes a pouncing leopard, even if it almost always

the deer.

In their simplest form, patterns look like a

repeating mathematical function. These generate

things like the beautiful tiling patterns, the number

line (take the previous number and add 1), or the

Fibonacci sequence (add the two previous numbers

together). In the natural world, these patterns can

get more complicated. Patterns are really what we

are looking for in science. Identifying and under-

standing patterns are what allow us to build pre-

dictive models, and how well those models work

really determines how well we understand our

world.

The concept “…if there is a pattern, there must be a

pattern maker.” is, at the same time, fundamentally

wrong and understandably appealing to people. As

I mentioned in the first question, our minds are

also inclined to see patterns even when one isn't

there. We still want to assume that there is a

"pattern maker" when the pattern only exists in our

imaginations. This tendency underlies many super-

stitions and even accusations of witchcraft.

In nature, patterns do not need a "maker".

A repetitive or systematic process can very easily

generate a pattern. After all that is all a pattern is -

one thing following after another, whether repeti-

(Continued on page 19)

By Josh Witten, thefinchandpea.com

THOUGHTS

19

Ascending and Descending by M. C. Escher

tive or sequential, like the leopard causing a

twig to snap.

But, in our general experience, things

have inertia. They do not change, let alone do

something repetitive, without someone acting

on them. Basically, when we see a pattern that

looks like something we would create, we as-

sume that a creature like us must have created

it.

Even scientists are susceptible to this

error in our thinking, though normally not at

the "patterns in nature mean there must be a

god" level. So, we use statistical tests to actu-

ally determine whether our results represent a

real pattern or if we are just "seeing" a pattern

in a random process. Scientists are no differ-

ent than everyone else in this way. They just

have better tools.

Both pareidolia and superstitions are good

examples of our innate desire to find patterns.

The tendency to find faces even in random

images is an example of pareidolia, though it

includes other things, like hearing voices in

static. My favorite examples are superstitions,

perhaps because I was an athlete. When we

establish a superstition, we usually extrapolate

from a very small sample set, sometimes only

one event, to a very general principle. For ex-

ample, I tapped my bat against my left cleat

three times before going into the batter's box

and then hit a home run. From now on, I will

always tap my bat three times against my left

cleat before stepping into the batter's box. I

was never very superstitious, but I know I still

had specific patterns of behavior before

games that I did to help get me ready to play,

whether they were effective or not. Those pat-

terns weren't very different from superstitions,

except that I never consciously embraced the

idea that A causes B. In an odd twist, some

superstitions can become self-fulfilling proph-

ecies if the the superstitious behavior helps

relax you and that relaxation causes better

performance.

L

20

Life in

PEA GREEN BOAT: Could you explain what As-

cension is and how it affects people?

Laura Bruno: As a species, we are living in a

harsh environment right now. We are looking

to “Ascend” or reach higher and higher. In or-

der to do so under harsh conditions, some of

us will need to reach extra deep. In some cases

this means emotionally. In others it may mean

physically. If we hold onto a greater vision of

the world we’d love to create, then the ques-

tion becomes are we willing to do whatever it

takes to bring that world into being? Are we

willing to do what it takes to strengthen our

resolve, even if the means seem counterintui-

After completing a Masters Degree in English at the

University of Chicago in 1996, Laura Bruno spent two

years in the corporate world. Just before her return

to graduate school, her dream to become an English

professor came to a sudden halt. She suffered a

brain injury and could no longer read without debili-

tating migraine headaches. Unable to read print,

Laura tapped into her ability to “read” in other ways.

She began to feel people’s energy fields and used

her heightened intuition to access the mental, emo-

tional, and spiritual patterns affecting their physical

health.

tive? Are we willing to follow the still small voice

inside that knows where to step on each leg of

the journey? Are we willing to have faith — by

definition “a sure and certain belief in things un-

seen?”

Change will happen, but it will happen more

slowly in the presence of anger, frustration and

judgment. On the flip side, positive change can

happen superfast with an attitude of gratitude. If

you plan to leave 3Dality behind, then consider:

this might be your last run through these here

parts in this here “vehicle.” What do you love

about your time on Earth? What do you love

about the 3D experience? What makes it

unique? How have your challenges freed you of

illusions? How might you move beyond one of

the biggest illusions — limitation? Hint: limita-

tion is closely related to judgment: “For the

measure you give will be the measure you get.”

Something limitless cannot be measured. The

only way to measure Self or potential comes

from an acceptance of limitations. If you want to

move into 5D — or wherever — then you will

find the journey faster and easier if you allow

5D INTERVIEW

Interview with author Laura Bruno,

Professional Medical Intuitive

21

yourself some “ease and please.”

PGB: What advice do you have for people experi-

encing Ascension Symptoms?

LB: If you’d love to manifest a better world, then

start believing in that better world by proving to

yourself — moment by moment — that you can

find and generate elements of that better world.

For some people, a first step may include reso-

nating with more free flowing finances, not be-

cause you support patriarchy and corruption —

but because you need to shift your attitude in

order to leave those things behind. You can look

at your own life to see how well you’ve manifest-

ed your desires. If you feel happy in all areas,

then congratulations! Perhaps you’ve already As-

cended! If you feel satisfied in most areas, but

certain parts of physicality prick you like pokey

thorns, then 3Dality has delivered a message to

you: something remains imbalanced in those are-

as. Somewhere in the continuum of Spirit, emo-

tions, and/or thoughts, a glitch has occurred. It’s

just information, not something to attack or

judge. Information becomes opportunity in the

presence of non-resistance.

I offer no right or wrong answer for the world

you’d most love to manifest. On the contrary, I

love that we live in a world large enough to ac-

commodate our differences. I just wanted to

share some thoughts for your consideration, as

well as a call to look honestly at your results. If

you like the results, keep going! If you don’t like

how your results make you feel, then it may be

time to reevaluate some methods, attitudes and

preferences. Don’t be afraid to move step by step

towards your larger hopes and dreams! What

seems counterintuitive in the short term some-

times provides exactly what you seek long term.

Again, trust your body. Trust those emotions.

It really doesn’t take much to create a downward

manifestation spiral, especially when dealing with

people who’ve awakened to their own intuitive

and manifestation gifts. You always attract what

you most think about, but people who’ve man-

aged to amp up their vibes and practice creating

in big ways, attract more dramatic things, and

they attract these dramatic things faster.

Make sure you're practicing the power of positive

thinking. It really doesn’t take much to create a

downward manifestation spiral, especially when

dealing with people who’ve awakened to their

own intuitive and manifestation gifts. It's OK to

be aware of negative happenings or trends in our

world, but you don't want to get stuck there or --

worse -- amplify those negative energies. You

always attract what you most think about, but

people who’ve managed to amp up their vibes

and practice creating in big ways, attract more

dramatic things, and they attract these dramatic

things faster.

The Bible has a saying that’s always jumped out

at me, “from those to whom much has been giv-

en, much will be required.” During most of my

life, my response went something like this, “Um, I

don’t know that I can meet those requirements,

so maybe just don’t give me so much, OK?” Mul-

tiple head injuries and a decade as a Medical In-

tuitive later, I’ve come to accept both the gifts

and the joys of re-gifting.

flight by koyamori

L

22

Pea Green Boat: How and When did you first become in-

terested in lucid dreaming?

Gary Gardner: Around 1976, there was a special report on

the TV news discussing lucid dreaming. I became very fas-

cinated with this dreaming phenomenon. I thought it

would be an incredible experience to be totally aware while

I was dreaming and be able to do anything I desired.

The Internet wasn’t available back then, I didn’t find any-

thing in the library so started to ask others if they heard

anything about lucid dreaming. I didn’t get much of a reply

from anyone. Close to 1980, I was in a book store while

suddenly I discovered a book named Lucid Dreaming, by

Stephen LaBerge. I was astonished. I read the book from

cover to cover without stopping. The book described what I

needed to know to begin having my first lucid dream in the

1980s. I haven’t stopped since!

PGB: What can you recall from your earliest lucid dream

memories? Have your dreams changed over time as you

have become more practices/informed?

(Continued on page 23)

HOW-TO

FlightFlightFlight Interview with Gary Gardner,

luciddreamlessons.com

23

GG: My earliest lucid dream experiences includ-

ed a lot of flying, discovering breathtaking land-

scapes while soaring through the air. I also ex-

perimented with problem solving in my early lu-

cid dreams. Overtime, I have become an avid lu-

cid dreamer. My lucid dreams are much more

frequent, they last a great deal longer, they are

considerably more vivid and the content is sig-

nificantly more profound.

PGB: How did your blog get started? And why a

blog and not traditional print media?

GG: After numerous lucid dreams over a 32 year

span, I have a very solid understanding of lucid

dreaming and I recognize that others could ben-

efit from what I know. I decided to create

www.luciddreamlessons.com blog so others

could learn and comment on my website imme-

diately after reading. I want to help others by an-

swering their questions and deliver concise and

interesting information. I also want my website

to be free, as it is.

PGB: What do you feel are the key benefits of

lucid dreaming?

GG: A lucid dream is a dream in which a person

is aware that they are dreaming while they are

actually sleeping. The key benefits of lucid

dreaming are:

Creativity and Problem Solving

Physical and Mental Healing

Spirituality

Confiding in Your Dream Guide

A Cure for Nightmares

Experiencing Fantasies and Having

Amazing Fun

I go over each of these in my blog.

PGB: What are your top tips for people who

want to experience lucid dreaming?

GG: Some people have lucid dreams very easily.

It takes a very organized approach to have lucid

dreams if you are like most people. I go over all

of the details in my blog for you to follow in or-

der to become a devoted lucid dreamer.

Here are the top tips for those who want to ex-

perience lucid dreaming:

1. Keep a detailed dream journal for every dream

you have.

2. Use various techniques to induce lucid dream-

ing such as reality testing (to know if you are re-

ally sleeping and dreaming at any given moment

in time) and identifying dream signs (unordinary

items or events that wouldn’t happen while you

are awake.)

3. Use several methodologies that have been

proven to induce a lucid dream state.

4. Study various dream phenomena including

everything in my blog.

Everything I have discussed in this interview can

be found in much greater detail in my free web-

site, http://www.luciddreamlessons.com/

Lucid dreaming is an incredible gift given to us.

You won’t believe its abilities and awesomeness

until you experience it for yourself. L

24

Wake me

in paroxysms of twilight

Its soft voice

under the trees

Spent beams

quivering in a dim arc

above faded stone

Guide me

along moss-bejeweled

thoroughfares

heraldic frescoes

of silver and blue

Let me kneel at the river’s edge

rake my fingers

through incandescent loam

Wake me

where threadbare pennons

from gothic bowers dangle

Lift me

with mornings untamed requiem

Wake me

among the dead lamps reclusive bleeding

Wake me in the twilight.

By Jason Alan Wilkinson

POEM

25

As an astrologer who realizes that one is studying a subject that seems never ending as one

continues the journey, one begins to take for granted the steps one has put to memory, and

uses almost daily. This came to my attention recently when I was asked the question: Please

define the ascendant and explain how it is connected to astrological theory. A simple ques-

tion I thought at first, but then when I actually thought about it, I realized it wasn’t as simple

to answer. If I were asked the same question when I first started in my studies, my answer

would be different. How I see it now, and what I was taught seems to be as different as the

shades of gray from black to white. It all depends where in the shades of gray really defines

what you mean.

The ascendant or what we as astrologers normally call the rising sign is the zodiacal degree

and sign ascending on the eastern horizon at the specific time and location of the birth of

whatever type of chart we are studying. The chart could be calculated for the birth of an in-

dividual, horary question, an event, or a beginning of a project. In one word, the ascendant

indicates the time of a beginning, and the description of that beginning. Since the ascendant

(Continued on page 26)

By Lincoln, blogger

Lincoln's This and That Astrology

“Is The Ascendant ME, Or the Me Want Others to See, or

Things Can Not Change?”

THOUGHTS

26

is specific in its calculation, its description, environment, conditioning and the circum-

stances particular to that particular moment and place is expressed and revealed. The

ascendant is important in the delineation of any type of chart, as it gives a quick sum-

mary of what the situation is at the moment without synthesizing the whole chart. One

should never give an opinion of a chart without completely studying it.

If one is considering a natal chart, it describes the physical appearance and the overall

health of the individual and those qualities which the individual deem important to ex-

press in his everyday dealings with others. The ascendant is how each individual has

learned to express those qualities in order to cope with unfamiliar and uncomfortable

circumstances. The ascendant becomes a shield and a mask as a defense mechanism

to make life easier and to guard the sensitive areas that make up our character and

personality. In describing a horary, question, an event, or a beginning of a project, the

ascendant describes the surroundings, the atmosphere, the location, and the state of

affairs happening at the moment. Especially with a horary, the description if accurate,

will determine if the calculation of the chart was correct, and give the delineator confi-

dence that the interpretation is on the right track. This is also definitely true and im-

portant in working with a natal chart,

Unfortunately, most people think the Sun sign or the ascendant will give a true picture

of the individual, but the truth of the matter, they only give one side of the personality,

and not the whole picture. It is like looking at one side of a building,

one is not getting a full picture of what we are seeing. The same is

true in delineating a chart, one needs to synthesize everything to

come to the true picture of the individual. Originally I felt like oth-

er astrologers that the ascendant is what the individual in question

wants you to see, and not necessarily who the individual real-

ly is. And the tenth house is the individual that the per-

son wants the world to see in public. I have slowly be-

gun to change my opinion of the ascendant, in that I still

feel, it is what the person wants others to see. But, that the

ascendant also shows those characteristics the person wish-

es to hide, but the person can not, for what ever reasons

that exist. For example, if we are taller or shorter then

we wish to be, our height is something we can not

hide. I have noticed through my delineations that the

ascendants exposes more than what we wish others to

see. In summation, the ascendant expresses the person, the in-

dividual wants others to see and those he may wish to conceal,

but can not hide or change.

(Continued from page 25)

L

L

27

PGB: Who or what are angels?

Jean Porch: That’s the question I hear most

often. Our (I’m one of The Angel Ladies) un-

derstanding is that angels are a separate or-

der of beings, spiritual rather than physical,

who were created before humans, according

to many genesis stories. That being the case,

we do not regard departed loved ones as an-

gels, nor do we understand angels as living

human lives (although they assume human

Interview with Jean Porche,

theangelladies.com

Ladies

INTERVIEW

ngel

28

form as needed). That’s pret-

ty much in line with the Judeo-

Christian tradition which forms the

western understanding of Angels.

Angels are agents of protection and, espe-

cially, guidance. With that understood, then,

we’re not going to argue with other traditions

which regard our ‘angel’ as an elemental being, a

departed loved one/ancestor, the Holy Spirit,

God, the universe, the collective unconscious,

subconscious....you name it. The angels tell us

that all traditions work for good in the lives of

people of goodwill; they don’t promote any reli-

gion or philosophic tradition but work within the

traditions of those who call upon them. Where

humans see many paths, one of which is the

“right” one, the angels see many paths, all of

which are designed to lead humans to Love.

When asked, they have described themselves to

us as spiritual beings wholly dedicated to the

service and adoration of Loving Creator.

I should say that angels, being spirit, are without

gender. They don’t have names, as we under-

stand naming, because their means of under-

standing is different from human cognition.

Gender, names, and words are tools they can use

to serve their purpose. For example, a friend of

mine occasionally sees angels, and she always

sees a female with the angelic regalia - wings,

haloes, robes, etc. I see angels as sentient glow-

ing light; when I asked why I don’t see the wings

and such and she does, I got a smiling response:

It pleases her that we do so. They opt, always,

to work in ways that we will find gentlest and

most pleasing, even when they have hard teach-

ings to offer.

PGB: Does everyone have a

guardian angel?

JP: Again, in our Judeo-Christian un-

derstanding, yes, we all have a guardian

angel to whom Loving Creator has entrust-

ed us. Because it is the will of Loving Creator,

the angel cares for us with a dedication we can-

not imagine, as this care is the angel’s way of

serving Creator faithfully.

PGB: How did you discover your own guardian

angel?

JP: I grew up as a Roman Catholic, so I learned

to focus my eyes on a large crib medal of a

guardian angel. For me, seeing and speaking to

the angels was a natural part of growing up. As

a preschooler, the nuns and teachers at school

urged us to talk to our angels and make them

our friends, so I wasn’t surprised when my angel

answered me.

I was about twelve when I discovered that my

friends weren’t also having conversations with

their angels. I should have realized sooner, as

my friends often asked to borrow John, my an-

gel, on test days.

PGB: Who are the Teachers?

JP: People in spiritual circles speak of channel-

ing, which to me is simply allowing a spiritual en-

tity to speak freely through you, either orally or

in writing. They also speak of ‘group entities,’

that is, several entities working together. When

asked, the Teachers acknowledged that they are

what we would call a group entity.

Deborah calls the Teachers a harmonized voice

with individual expression. She says she gets the

impression of a committee, of which the most

appropriate member speaks.

(Continued from page 27)

29

PGB: What are they teaching?

JP: The Teachers tend to offer a more down-to-

earth, concrete guidance than is typical from the

Angels.

Consider a questioner who asks why she hasn’t

found love. Angels are all about love, and typi-

cally they will expound to such a question with

teachings about the depth of love we find from

Loving Creator and our own worthiness of the

love of Creator, others, and ourselves. They of-

ten urge us to accept Creator’s love more fully

and to delight, as Creator does, in

the wonders of our own personali-

ty and humanity. This infilling of

love is the first step to finding a

life partner.

The Teachers don’t deny any of

this, but get more pragmatic. Self

-love - a recognition of our own

value and worth - is, they say, ab-

solutely necessary to a happy life.

When we recognize our worthi-

ness and honor it, we become

complete and whole. Seeking

love from others without feeling

worthy, they teach, leads only to

problems and unhappy relation-

ship as each partner looks to the

other to fill an inner void that

must be filled before participation in a mature,

happy partnership is possible. In such cases, re-

lationships are created from a need which can-

not be met by the partner, and so the relation-

ship is never able to develop fully. They may en-

dure a lifetime, but the participants in these rela-

tionships will never find the fullness of joy which

is the divine plan for human pairing.

PGB: You have been teaching people to hear

their own angel(s) for more than a decade, and

have even written a book about angels. What

advice to you have for someone looking for an-

gelic guidance?

JP: Angels are here to guide us, to support us, to

love us, to help us unite more fully to Love.

When we ask them for help, they help. When we

ask us for guidance, they guide us. This is how

they serve Love.

In our experience, angelic guidance is always

wise, loving, generous, and uplifiting. Guidance

that suggests exclusion or divisiveness - only this

path is correct, only these people

are chosen - has, they suggest, its

origin in human ego rather than in

the generous and compassionate

love of Creator. In readings, they

are never critical or scolding, even

when they correct us.

For example, my angel has its

hands full with my temper, but ra-

ther than saying, “Jean, you are not

being a good servant of Love! Be-

have and be kinder!” John simply

smiles at me and murmurs, “Was

that loving?” or “Do you really want

to do that?” Sometimes I mentally

stomp my foot and say, “Yes, I do!

I’m ANGRY!” At that, John smiles

gently and stands beside me till I

either get it out of my system or choose a more

loving course of action. Angels, unlike me and

other humans, do not judge. They understand

and love us through challenges. They never con-

demn.

Angels also don’t predict, as predictions can im-

pact our perception of the range of options and

outcomes possible for a situation. Free will is a

(Continued on page 30)

“In Our

Experience,

Angelic

Guidance is

Always Wise,

Loving,

Generous, and

Uplifiting.”

30

gift of Creator, so angels will do nothing that

could restrict our exercise of this gift. They pre-

fer to assist us in understanding the how and

why of our lives and challenges, as such insight

is far more helpful to us than simply saying ‘Yes,

you’ll get the job.’

We suggest, always, prayer in whatever tradition

you follow. The angels gave us a three-stage

process to make it easier to hear the voice of

your angel. First, they give a signal. Then the

student practices recognizing it, testing it, and

finally, using it for guidance. We never suggest

that clients simply ask a question and accept

whatever is given as guidance, as at first it is

easy to confuse our personal inclinations with

guidance. It takes time to get to know your an-

gel.

One way to begin is to arrange for some quiet

time and have a pen and paper handy. Start

with prayer to whatever power you recognize.

Call upon your guardian to protect you from an-

ything that is not Love. Write your question,

close your eyes a minute, take a cleansing

breath to relax, and listen for the thoughts, feel-

ings, or words which may come. Write it all

down, whatever you get, and then, when it feels

finished, thank your angel for its help.

Now read what you have written. It is usual, es-

pecially at first, to have a mixture of guidance

and your own thoughts or feelings. Note what

is highest and most loving; does it resonate with

your own understanding of what is good? An-

gels will not deny your spiritual understanding,

although you may find it broadens over time. If

it resonates with you, act on the guidance and

then examine how well it helped you to serve

Love. Our uniting to and serving Love is the

goal of angelic guidance, remember.

Sometimes we observe that people write noth-

ing down, but simply sit with their eyes closed.

Often they get a bit teary, not from sadness but

from the emotion of the experience as they

catch a glimmer of the love that is theirs.

Occasionally people get nothing they can recog-

nize at all. That’s ok. Wanting it badly can have

the effect of closing our eyes to the angels. It’s

as though we’re digging so hard to find the

treasure chest that we don’t notice the spadesful

of gold that we are tossing over our shoulder. If

you have a preconceived notion of how your an-

gel will communicate with you, it becomes easy

to overlook any other means of guidance.

For me, guidance takes several forms. Often it

comes as pictures and symbols that carry mean-

ing. Sometimes it comes as a wordless flash of

insight, and I have to ask John to use words, es-

pecially if I’m doing a lot of readings. It can be

tiring to translate guidance into English when

information is coming quickly, and at those

times I often channel, if it is comfortable for my

client. I recognize that it take different forms for

other people.

5) Do you get a lot of skeptics? Have you ever

been confronted by a skeptic?

Ah, the skeptics. Often they come at the insist-

ence of friends or loved ones who had a reading

and are so glad to be working with their angel

that they want everyone to connect. We en-

courage people not to do that.

Other times, they have a different faith tradition

or a different version of Christianity from mine

and want to convert us because, of course, their

way is the right one. Sometimes they are rather

angry that the angel messages we get do not

support the kind of ‘one way’ thinking many re-

(Continued from page 29)

(Continued on page 31)

31

ligions and denominations preach. That’s

ok with us; our job is not to convert. We

urge them to shake the dust and move on,

as suggested in scripture.

Sometimes they or someone they know has

had a bad experience with a reader or psy-

chic, so they think we are money-grubbing

parasites. Clearly, they have not seen my

bank account!

The truth is, scam artists are out there.

Walk out - without paying! - if an angel

reader tells you, “Oh, your angel isn’t ready

to speak to you. I will give you the angel’s

messages until you are ready....” If a reader

tells you there is a curse/dark energy/etc on

you and that you need to return one or

more times to have it removed, we would

consider that reader a predator. We con-

sider it a red flag when readers insist they

have near-perfect accuracy; an outstanding

psychic will make incorrect predictions

about 30-40% of the time.

Skeptics are valuable. In their search for

truth, they help bring scam artists to justice

and protect people who are looking for an-

swers. They urge anyone seeking spiritual

truth to keep their wits about them and to

test what they are given rather than blindly

accept it. When someone says they or their

organization speaks for God, the skeptics

recommend proceeding with caution. So

do we.

There is never a situation in which you

‘need’ an angel reading or any other kind of

reading. Loving Creator is generous and

compassionate, and angels abound, ready

(Continued from page 30)

to assist. There are many situations - we would

say all situations - that require connecting to

the power you recognize. Life demands many

deep breaths, many returns to your center,

many searches for the wisdom of your own

spirit, many prayers if you will. Our belief is that

when we are in need, we have only to ask what-

ever spirit we recognize to assist us in love, and

assistance is given.

If you seek heaven’s help, ask simply, conversa-

tionally, as you would ask any friend for a favor.

Ask in a spirit of Love for yourself or others and

angels always assist, no matter how near or far

the need. You may never know how your re-

quest was answered, but you may trust that

whenever you ask in love for angels to help

someone, anyone, they hasten to work. Some-

how, in some way, good is accomplished, for

the angels work only for good. This is, for us, a

joyful truth.

L

32

A Schizophrenic Religion

When marriage is the single sacrament

entwining our illness and religion

made for art

that love

might be singular and steadfast

and just as any passion would

fill its own sweet chasm

with a sweet romantic heart

we wait for neural medication

to slow our thoughts

which ran away

in pagan retribution

for our Christian sex and clay

or the sweetness of such pills

as reinforce the day

because...the statues of our youth

have fallen now

...good feelings are the final truth

...a slow and stupid endless vow

takes hold

and builds a simple structure

in view of death's orgasmic bliss

and not eternities of life

that it might keep us from the cold

and enshrine that lucky kiss

come from the planet

and the wisest truest wife.

By Sam Silva

Andreas Vesalius

POEM

33

34

Interview with author James Alan Gardner,

PEA GREEN BOAT: Your science-fiction novel, Ascending, is part of the larger

League of Peoples series. Where did your idea for the series spring from?

James Alan Gardner: It all started with the Fermi paradox: if there are intelli-

gent aliens out there somewhere, why haven't we seen evidence of them?

After all, there's (at least) a 50-50 chance that any alien civilization will be

more scientifically advanced than us, so wouldn't we pick up radio transmis-

sions or some other sign of their existence?

My answer was to postulate a galactic civilization which, for its own reasons,

had declared that Earth should remain untouched by space travelers. This

civilization would have to be far ahead of us technologically; after all, they

aren't just preventing individuals from coming to Earth personally, they're

also blocking out any transmissions we might overhear. It would have been

easy to make this group a bunch of iron-fisted despots—a lot of science fic-

tion has evil space empires—but I decided to go in the opposite direction.

The League of Peoples hardly cares about Homo sapiens at all, as long we

don't rock the boat.

At least that was my starting position. As my thoughts developed over the

years, I came up with much more background: why the League had decided

that Earth should be left alone, why they changed their stance in the late 21st

century, and what they did to Earth as a result of that shift. As suggested at

INTERVIEW

Waxing Paradoxical

35

the end of Radiant, the League is playing a

long-term game in which humans figure prom-

inently.

PGB: In Ascending, a secondary character from

the first novel in the series, Ex-

pendable, becomes the narrator,

which certainly changes the tone

of the overall story from serious

space drama to a comic adven-

turous romp. Why the switch?

I want novels to be about a

great turning-point in the pro-

tagonist's life—a time when the

hero's outlook and situation

goes through a major change.

There's a tension between this

concept and writing a series:

how many major changes can

one person really go through?

So instead of having every book centered on

Festina Ramos (the heroine of Expendable), I

decided to make each book a first-person nar-

rative from a different character's perspective.

Each book would deal with a major life-change

for the viewpoint character; Festina would al-

ways appear as a supporting player, but each

book would mostly be about someone else.

This made it possible for each book in the se-

ries to have a different feel, reflecting the cen-

tral character's outlook and his/her mental

baggage. The serious tone in Expendable came

out of Festina's insecurities and her anger at

the world; the comic tone in Ascending reflects

Oar's indomitable self-centeredness and lack of

doubt. Oar is the psychological opposite of

Festina: a mirror image who

completely reverses Festina's

hard-edged personality. (Of

course, at the end of the novel,

Oar becomes a literal mirror

image of Festina...kind of bla-

tant, but what the heck.)

If you look at the other books

in the series, the lead charac-

ter's mental baggage always

dictates the tone of narration.

For example, Youn Suu, the

protagonist of Radiant, is go-

ing through a spiritual crisis

and she views her entire experience through

that lens. The plot elements themselves are es-

sentially a "standard" action-adventure, and the

story could be told in many ways—grim or up-

beat, fast-paced or contemplative. But since we

see everything through Youn Suu's eyes, she

interprets each event in terms of her own inner

demons. ( I might note that Youn Suu is anoth-

(Continued from page 34)

(Continued on page 36)

“Ascending means

breaking free of that mental

stranglehold.”

36

er literal mirror of Festina...this time an

East-meet-West sort of thing. One

might claim that each novel's narrator

is a different reflection of Festina. Not

an accident.)

PGB: Could you talk about Oar, a hu-

man woman made of glass, who nar-

rates Ascending? How did her charac-

ter come together and what does she

represent?

Expendable is about Festina exploring

a planet which at first glance has no

humans or other intelligent inhabitants.

In an early draft of the book, I tried

saying that a lot of people actually

lived there but they were hard to see; since I didn't want people who were actually invisible, I

went with the next closest thing and said they were transparent. Pretty quickly I decided that

the "hard to see" idea had way too many problems to be believable. Still, I liked the idea of

"glass" people. I'd even come up with a backstory of how "glass" bodies could actually work. So

I kept the glass anatomy, even though I dropped the "hard to see" concept.

For Oar's personality, I wanted someone who'd be a complete contrast to Festina: unflappably

sure of herself, despite her almost complete ignorance about everything. (I saw Festina as a hy-

percompetent professional; in fact, if you asked me what the theme of Expendable was, I'd say

it's about professionalism.) So if Oar represents anything, she's the naïve dilettante, blithely un-

aware of how little she knows—a living embodiment of the Dunning-Kruger effect. This makes

her a version of the Divine Fool: she wanders from crisis to crisis, somehow managing to come

out smelling like roses every time.

PGB: Is Oar’s story now complete or do you have plans to feature her in another novel?

(Continued on page 37)

37

L

I don't know if there'll ever be another League

novel; current odds are against it. But never say

never, and perhaps some day I'll get the urge

to write more. As I hinted at the end of Radi-

ant, there's a secret behind the Explorer

Corps...and if I decide to reveal that secret, I'd

bring back all the Explorers from all the books

for a gala ending. Since Oar became an Explor-

er in Ascending, she'd be back with the rest of

the gang. She'd likely be different than she was

in Ascending—she does, after all, go through a

substantial change at the end of the book, and

one can expect significant mental consequenc-

es—but she's so much fun to write as she is, I

wouldn't want to lose too much of her special

voice.

PGB: What does the title Ascending reflect

about the novel itself?

Spoiler warning: Underlying the novel is the

dilemma of the aliens known as the Shaddill:

they discovered a process to evolve themselves

into a higher state of being...in other words, to

ascend. However, some of the Shaddill aren't

100% certain that the process works as adver-

tised, nor are they clear on what "a higher state

of being" actually is. Ascended Shaddill aren't

comprehensible to unascended mortals, and

their way of life doesn't seem all that attractive;

therefore, some of the Shaddill refused the

transformation and clung to their old existenc-

es. This led to centuries of stagnation—they

couldn't work up the nerve to change, but they

also couldn't stop thinking about it. Eventually,

they deliberately spread their stagnation to

other races, manipulating many species into

states of arrested development.

Ascending means breaking free of that mental

stranglehold. The Shaddill eventually do it by

accepting the transformation. Oar does it met-

aphorically by choosing to change—to grow

up—rather than playing life safe. Other charac-

ters face similar choices; those who refuse the

opportunity stay stunted, while those who take

a chance become open to new prospects.

So Ascending is about the possibility of

change, and also about the paralysis that

comes when you try to stay the same. That's a

theme I've come back to over and over—for

example, it lies at the heart of Radiant. Saying

no to being changed means saying no to eve-

rything: you don't get to open up selectively.

Either you accept the whole package, or you

put yourself into a deep freeze of fear and in-

ertia.

That sounds like a heavy message for a book

that's mainly a comedy. But don't they always

say that the best comedy is serious at heart?

38

Curiosities Occurring Behind the Scenes

The Hunting of the Snark

Wonder about the origins of the

name of Nicola McEldowney’s blog?

Wonder about pareidolia?

Questions

About Lucid

Dreaming?

39

Wonder about

M.C. Escher’s

other impossible

constructions?

...The direct electrical stimu-

lation of the brain could

simulate electrocortical re-

lays, so Magoun used this

to demonstrate, on two

separate areas of a brain-

stem of a cat, how to pro-

duce wakefulness from

sleep. First the ascending somatic and auditory

paths; second, a series of “ascending relays

from the reticular formation of the lower brain

stem through themesencephalic tegmen-

tum, subthalamus and hypothalamus to

the internal capsule.”[2] The latter was of partic-

ular interest, as this series of relays did not cor-

respond to any known anatomical pathways for

the wakefulness signal transduction and was

coined the ascending reticular activating sys-

tem (ARAS) ...

Wikipedia

Wonder who this guy is?

Vesalius Andreas

1514-1564

ibonacci

n mber ?

Want to know more about

More on Alchemy?

More about Astronomy?

More about Astrology?

40

Images used in this issue:

The image “Fibonacci spiral with square sizes up to 34” by Wikipedia user Dicklyon

Images found on 4, 11, 24, 27, 40, and graphic used with page numbers from Graphics Fairy.

Images found on 5, 6, 8, 10, 18, 20, 25, 31, 32, and 38 from ClipArt ETC (http://etc.usf.edu/

clipart).

Images found on 2, 12, 22, and 33, source unknown.

Fonts used in this issue:

FairydustB designed by Marcel de Jong

Stereofidelic designed by Typodermicfonts.com

designed by by steven j. lundeen, copyright 1997, emerald city fontwerk

designed by Levi

SketchesbyDUERER designed by Manfried Klein

Cover Art

Front Cover illustration by Antecedent Terminus by Vitaly S Alexius

Back Cover : Photograph by Christoph Doerbeck

PEA GREEN BOAT : Ascend, Midsummer 2012

The Pea Green Boat (PGB) e-zine is a product of Cathy Weber of the CR

& K Group, LLC. The PBG e-zine is copyright © CR & K Group LLC,

2012. Each contributor retains the copyright to their own works. Repro-

duction or distribution in any form is not allowed without the express

written permission of the author/artist. For further information, please

write Cathy Weber (P.O. Box 3568, Carmel, IN 46082) with your ques-

tions, comments, or suggestions. [June 28, 2012]

"Newton's Commentary on the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus" in Merkel, I. and

Debus, A. G., Hermeticism and the Renaissance. Folger, Washington 1988.

41

CONNECT PEA GREEN BOAT Summer 2012

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