wakingtimes--2020-12-05--United Nations Officially Recognizes Cannabis As Medicine In Historic Vote

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The United Nations has finally recognized the medicinal value of cannabis , voting Wednesday to remove the plant from a list of dangerous drugs and clearing the way for the widespread research and medical use of marijuana and medications based on the plant .
Experts are hailing the decision as a major step toward normalizing cannabis in medicine .
For thousands of years , the plant has been used across the globe therapeutically – dating back as far as ancient Egypt and ancient Greece , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 15th century B.C .
In recent years there has also been a growing consensus regarding the potential of cannabis in treating symptoms of various disorder and diseases including but not limited to cancer , AIDS , glaucoma , multiple sclerosis The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted by 27 to 25 to remove the cannabis from Schedule IV of the U.N. ’ s 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs .
The vote came after experts at the World Health Organization recommended that the plant be removed from the list , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highly addictive opioids like heroin .
While the plant remains a banned drug for non-medical and recreational use under UN law , advocates have hailed the vote as likely to boost efforts to legalize the plant and validate medical research of the plant .
Dirk Heitepriem , a vice president at Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth , told the New York Times that the vote was a “ big step forward , ” adding : “ We hope this will empower more countries to create frameworks which allow patients in need to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also resulted in a boost for stocks that supply cannabis for medicinal purposes , as is the case with companies like Canopy .
In recent years , demand for medical marijuana products has exploded as consumers clamor for products containing cannabis derivatives like cannabidiol or CBD , a nonintoxicating compound .
Market analysts estimate that in the United States alone , the CBD industry could be worth $ 16 billion by 2025 .
While businessmen in the legal cannabis market are gleeful over the move , some advocates remain critical of the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the collateral damage wrought by decades of a war on drugs that has been punctuated by colonialism and racism , and has disproportionately impacted Black and Indigenous communities across the globe .
“ The original decision [ in 1961 ] to prohibit cannabis lacked scientific basis and was rooted in colonial prejudice and racism , ” said Anna Fordham , the executive director of the International Drug Policy Consortium .
Continuing , she said that the United Nations ’ original stance on cannabis “ disregarded the rights and traditions of communities that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , therapeutic , religious and cultural purposes for centuries , and has led to millions being criminalized and incarcerated across the globe .
”

United Nations Officially Recognizes Cannabis As Medicine In Historic Vote
Elias Marat, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
The United Nations has finally recognized the medicinal value of cannabis, voting Wednesday to remove the plant from a list of dangerous drugs and clearing the way for the widespread research and medical use of marijuana and medications based on the plant.
Experts are hailing the decision as a major step toward normalizing cannabis in medicine. For thousands of years, the plant has been used across the globe therapeutically – dating back as far as ancient Egypt and ancient Greece, and when it was in Chinese medicine in the 15th century B.C.
In recent years there has also been a growing consensus regarding the potential of cannabis in treating symptoms of various disorder and diseases including but not limited to cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis
The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted by 27 to 25 to remove the cannabis from Schedule IV of the U.N.’s 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The vote came after experts at the World Health Organization recommended that the plant be removed from the list, where cannabis was listed alongside deadly and highly addictive opioids like heroin.
While the plant remains a banned drug for non-medical and recreational use under UN law, advocates have hailed the vote as likely to boost efforts to legalize the plant and validate medical research of the plant.
“This is welcome news for the millions of people who use cannabis for therapeutic purposes, and reflects the reality of the growing market for cannabis-based medicinal products,” said a press release from a group of drug reform advocates.
Dirk Heitepriem, a vice president at Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth, told the New York Times that the vote was a “big step forward,” adding: “We hope this will empower more countries to create frameworks which allow patients in need to get access to treatment.”
The move has also resulted in a boost for stocks that supply cannabis for medicinal purposes, as is the case with companies like Canopy.
In recent years, demand for medical marijuana products has exploded as consumers clamor for products containing cannabis derivatives like cannabidiol or CBD, a nonintoxicating compound. Market analysts estimate that in the United States alone, the CBD industry could be worth $16 billion by 2025.
While businessmen in the legal cannabis market are gleeful over the move, some advocates remain critical of the fact that the vote does little to address the collateral damage wrought by decades of a war on drugs that has been punctuated by colonialism and racism, and has disproportionately impacted Black and Indigenous communities across the globe.
“The original decision [in 1961] to prohibit cannabis lacked scientific basis and was rooted in colonial prejudice and racism,” said Anna Fordham, the executive director of the International Drug Policy Consortium. Continuing, she said that the United Nations’ original stance on cannabis “disregarded the rights and traditions of communities that have been growing and using cannabis for medicinal, therapeutic, religious and cultural purposes for centuries, and has led to millions being criminalized and incarcerated across the globe.”
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com


wakingtimes--2020-12-04--The Age of Aquarius, the Great Cycle, the Epoch: Mass Meditation for a New Age

The Age of Aquarius , the Great Cycle , the Epoch : Mass Meditation for a New Age Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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We humans love our myths .
They boldly embrace us with the story of our own evolution , as described by great philosophers like Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces , and The Power of Myth , or Carl Jung as described in The Red Book .
The story arch of humankind is similar no matter what culture presents it – from Northern Borneo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tales and ancient Hindu yugas , the Mayan ’ s ancient myths and even the theatrics of the Knights Templar .
We all are led down ( and up ) a recurring path to ascendance .
It is in these epochs of our own evolution that we find grace .
Now , as we enter the “ Age of Aquarius , ” we can compare it to the yugas , or the progression through from a Golden Age , through Silver , and a slow regression and separation from Divine thought and action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Age .
Here we must overcome our full descent in order to emerge from the darkness into the light once more .
It is no mistake , and nothing new , that we now observe rampant greed , fraud , crime , war , death , poverty , and selfishness .
Our disregard for one another and the planet which is equally part and parcel of our own material bodies has been neglected to the point of complete oblivion .
We , as humanity , are not just hanging on the precipice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dirt under our fingernails , blood in our craw , and sweat dripping from our brows , trying to ascend from the abyss that is the former age .
Prior to the Aquarian Age , or as the yugas call this age of enlightenment and freedom – the Satya Yuga , we suffer .
But this suffering is purposeful and temporary .
It is in our desperation that we usually find our way back to the Divine , the Truth , the Universal Intelligence that provides Infinite Freedom .
One of the tools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the frequency of humankind has always been meditation .
There is archeological evidence of meditation all the way back to 5,000 BCE , and it was likely happening well before .
Though there are ties to the practice historically to Ancient Egypt , China and India , calming the mind or altering the mind in order to access higher states of awareness that might lift us from the mire of greed , famine , and war ( all centered in ego and delusion ) through every cultural thread .
Why is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Great Cycle ?
Modern neuroscientists note that alpha waves created with ease during meditative states tend to reduce depressive symptoms and increase creative thinking .
They also incite neural oscillations that are conducive to unity and the overall coherence of a population .
We are also influenced subconsciously by the calm that meditation affords us , and , without even conscious attention being applied once our meditation is through , we encourage others in the same subconscious way to act with elevated hearts and minds toward peace .
Interestingly , Maharishi yogi has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when a large enough group of meditators join in a concerted effort to alter consciousness toward peace and cohesiveness , they positively affect entire communities .
Crime rates are lowered , violence is reduced .
Moreover , our parasympathetic nervous system “ speaks ” to others via an electromagnetic field that is much larger in the human heart than that emitting from the human brain .
Scientific research has noted that a calm , coherent heart rate variability affects people we know and love even if they are thousands of miles away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to calm the parasympathetic nervous system and heart rate variability is through meditation !
Planetary change is truly possible when collective consciousness is altered .
When we meditate collectively , alpha waves in the human brain “ sync ” with others around us , causing a ripple effect .
Mass Meditation for Change : The Golden Age of Aquarius If you ’ re ready to sync your alpha waves with millions of others around the world to create massive change this December , please consider joining this mass meditation : Help to anchor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet Earth on December 21st at 1.22 EST ( New York time ) Commit your energies to the mass meditation today .
Like Waking Times on Facebook .
Follow Waking Times on Twitter .

The Age of Aquarius, the Great Cycle, the Epoch: Mass Meditation for a New Age
Christina Sarich, Contributor
Waking Times
We humans love our myths. They boldly embrace us with the story of our own evolution, as described by great philosophers like Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and The Power of Myth, or Carl Jung as described in The Red Book.
The story arch of humankind is similar no matter what culture presents it – from Northern Borneo to ancient Ireland, to Australian aboriginal tales and ancient Hindu yugas, the Mayan’s ancient myths and even the theatrics of the Knights Templar.
Epochs of Evolution & the Aquarian Age
We all are led down (and up) a recurring path to ascendance. It is in these epochs of our own evolution that we find grace. Now, as we enter the “Age of Aquarius,” we can compare it to the yugas, or the progression through from a Golden Age, through Silver, and a slow regression and separation from Divine thought and action, all the way into the Iron Age. Here we must overcome our full descent in order to emerge from the darkness into the light once more.
It is no mistake, and nothing new, that we now observe rampant greed, fraud, crime, war, death, poverty, and selfishness. Our disregard for one another and the planet which is equally part and parcel of our own material bodies has been neglected to the point of complete oblivion.
We, as humanity, are not just hanging on the precipice, we’re clawing our way, dirt under our fingernails, blood in our craw, and sweat dripping from our brows, trying to ascend from the abyss that is the former age. Prior to the Aquarian Age, or as the yugas call this age of enlightenment and freedom – the Satya Yuga, we suffer. But this suffering is purposeful and temporary.
It is in our desperation that we usually find our way back to the Divine, the Truth, the Universal Intelligence that provides Infinite Freedom.
One of the tools used throughout the ages to “re-tune” the frequency of humankind has always been meditation. There is archeological evidence of meditation all the way back to 5,000 BCE, and it was likely happening well before. Though there are ties to the practice historically to Ancient Egypt, China and India, calming the mind or altering the mind in order to access higher states of awareness that might lift us from the mire of greed, famine, and war (all centered in ego and delusion) through every cultural thread.
Why is the Tool of Meditation So Effective through Every Great Cycle?
Modern neuroscientists note that alpha waves created with ease during meditative states tend to reduce depressive symptoms and increase creative thinking. They also incite neural oscillations that are conducive to unity and the overall coherence of a population. We are also influenced subconsciously by the calm that meditation affords us, and, without even conscious attention being applied once our meditation is through, we encourage others in the same subconscious way to act with elevated hearts and minds toward peace.
Interestingly, Maharishi yogi has also proven in thousands of studies that when a large enough group of meditators join in a concerted effort to alter consciousness toward peace and cohesiveness, they positively affect entire communities. Crime rates are lowered, violence is reduced.
Moreover, our parasympathetic nervous system “speaks” to others via an electromagnetic field that is much larger in the human heart than that emitting from the human brain. Scientific research has noted that a calm, coherent heart rate variability affects people we know and love even if they are thousands of miles away, and one of the most significant ways to calm the parasympathetic nervous system and heart rate variability is through meditation!
Planetary change is truly possible when collective consciousness is altered. When we meditate collectively, alpha waves in the human brain “sync” with others around us, causing a ripple effect.
Mass Meditation for Change: The Golden Age of Aquarius
If you’re ready to sync your alpha waves with millions of others around the world to create massive change this December, please consider joining this mass meditation:
Help to anchor in new cosmic love energies forever on planet Earth on December 21st at 1.22 EST (New York time)
Commit your energies to the mass meditation today.
Like Waking Times on Facebook. Follow Waking Times on Twitter.


wakingtimes--2020-12-04--EPA Forced To Study Glyphosate, Finds Pesticide Could Injure Or Kill 93% Of Endangered Species

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) released a draft biological evaluation last week finding that glyphosate is likely to injure or kill 93 % of the plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act .
The long-anticipated draft biological evaluation released by the agency ’ s pesticide office found that 1,676 endangered species are likely to be harmed by glyphosate , the active ingredient in Roundup and the world ’ s most-used pesticide .
The draft biological opinion also found that glyphosate adversely modifies critical habitat for 759 endangered species , or 96 % of all species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hundreds of millions of pounds of glyphosate are used each year in the U.S. , mostly in agriculture but also on lawns , gardens , landscaping , roadsides , schoolyards , national forests , rangelands , power lines and more .
According to the EPA , 280 million pounds of glyphosate are used just in agriculture , and glyphosate is sprayed on 298 million acres of crop land each year .
84 % of glyphosate pounds applied in agriculture are applied to soy , corn and cotton , commodity crops that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quantities of glyphosate that would normally kill a plant .
Glyphosate is also widely used in fruit and vegetable production .
“ As we prepare to feast on our favorite Thanksgiving dishes , the ugly truth of how harmful industrial-scale agriculture has become in the U.S. has never been so apparent , ” said Burd .
“ If we want to stop the extinction of amazing creatures like monarch butterflies , we need the EPA to take action to stop the out-of-control spraying of deadly poisons.
” The EPA has , for decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obligation under the Endangered Species Act to assess the harms of pesticides to protected plants and animals .
But it was finally forced to do this evaluation under the terms of a 2016 legal agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity .
Emails obtained in litigation brought against Monsanto/Bayer by cancer victims and their families have uncovered a disturbingly cozy relationship between the agency and the company on matters involving the glyphosate risk assessment .
In one example , when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it would be reviewing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official assured Monsanto he would work to thwart the review , saying , “ If I can kill this , I should get a medal.
” The Health and Human Services review was delayed for three years .
Monsanto/Bayer has also enjoyed broad support from the Trump White House .
A domestic policy advisor in the Trump administration stated , “ We have Monsanto ’ s back on pesticides regulation.
” Earlier this year , relying on confidential industry research , the EPA reapproved glyphosate .
The EPA ’ s assessment contradicts a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research that determined glyphosate is a probable carcinogen .
President-elect Joe Biden has already tapped Michael McCabe , a former consultant to chemical giant DuPont , to join his Environmental Protection Agency transition board , drawing broad outrage , including from Erin Brockovich .
Published with permission from the Center for Biological Diversity .

EPA Forced To Study Glyphosate, Finds Pesticide Could Injure Or Kill 93% Of Endangered Species
Center for Biological Diversity, Children’s Health Defense
Waking Times
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft biological evaluation last week finding that glyphosate is likely to injure or kill 93% of the plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The long-anticipated draft biological evaluation released by the agency’s pesticide office found that 1,676 endangered species are likely to be harmed by glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup and the world’s most-used pesticide.
The draft biological opinion also found that glyphosate adversely modifies critical habitat for 759 endangered species, or 96% of all species for which critical habitat has been designated.
“The hideous impacts of glyphosate on the nation’s most endangered species are impossible to ignore now,” said Lori Ann Burd, environmental health director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Glyphosate use is so widespread that even the EPA’s notoriously industry-friendly pesticide office had to conclude that there are hardly any endangered species that can manage to evade its toxic impacts.
Hundreds of millions of pounds of glyphosate are used each year in the U.S., mostly in agriculture but also on lawns, gardens, landscaping, roadsides, schoolyards, national forests, rangelands, power lines and more.
According to the EPA, 280 million pounds of glyphosate are used just in agriculture, and glyphosate is sprayed on 298 million acres of crop land each year. 84% of glyphosate pounds applied in agriculture are applied to soy, corn and cotton, commodity crops that are genetically engineered to tolerate being drenched with quantities of glyphosate that would normally kill a plant.
Glyphosate is also widely used in fruit and vegetable production.
“As we prepare to feast on our favorite Thanksgiving dishes, the ugly truth of how harmful industrial-scale agriculture has become in the U.S. has never been so apparent,” said Burd. “If we want to stop the extinction of amazing creatures like monarch butterflies, we need the EPA to take action to stop the out-of-control spraying of deadly poisons.”
The EPA has, for decades, steadfastly refused to comply with its obligation under the Endangered Species Act to assess the harms of pesticides to protected plants and animals. But it was finally forced to do this evaluation under the terms of a 2016 legal agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity.
Emails obtained in litigation brought against Monsanto/Bayer by cancer victims and their families have uncovered a disturbingly cozy relationship between the agency and the company on matters involving the glyphosate risk assessment.
In one example, when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it would be reviewing glyphosate’s safety, an EPA official assured Monsanto he would work to thwart the review, saying, “If I can kill this, I should get a medal.” The Health and Human Services review was delayed for three years.
Monsanto/Bayer has also enjoyed broad support from the Trump White House. A domestic policy advisor in the Trump administration stated, “We have Monsanto’s back on pesticides regulation.”
Earlier this year, relying on confidential industry research, the EPA reapproved glyphosate. The EPA’s assessment contradicts a 2015 World Health Organization analysis of published research that determined glyphosate is a probable carcinogen.
President-elect Joe Biden has already tapped Michael McCabe, a former consultant to chemical giant DuPont, to join his Environmental Protection Agency transition board, drawing broad outrage, including from Erin Brockovich.
Published with permission from the Center for Biological Diversity.


wakingtimes--2020-12-06--Revered Ayahuasquero Taita Juanito Has an Essential Message for Those Struggling During This Crisis

Revered Ayahuasquero Taita Juanito Has an Essential Message for Those Struggling During This Crisis Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
When I look at people ’ s faces covered in masks , I try to discern from their eyes alone what they are feeling .
And it ’ s tough .
But , it ’ s tough not because you can ’ t see their whole faces , it ’ s tough because people everywhere are hiding their whole selves behind their egoic masks of confidence , surety , and stoicism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their pain and their suffering from the world .
We are all experiencing unprecedented stress , loneliness , anxiety , worry , and uncertainty right now .
And in this climate , it ’ s very easy for the mind to take you in to fear .
Fear of what ’ s happening now , and fear of what is to come .
But these feelings aren ’ t the whole story .
They don ’ t represent the deepest truths about our lives .
The fear is a finger pointing at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big that we can ’ t see it right in front of our eyes .
Yet here there is a truth much greater and far more powerful than all the fear in the world combined .
And when you connect to this truth , your power and your smile return .
Speaking in a recent online conference , revered Ayahuasquero , Taita Juanito shares a powerful message for all people who are experiencing these challenges right now .
It ’ s a message that gets lost in the clutter and flash of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is so simple and pure , that when you open your heart to it , it cuts right through everything else .
I hope you are doing well , but if you ’ re struggling right now , give some consideration to Taita Juanito ’ s words here , and please share them with those you know who are also in need of such a reminder .
The following transcript was taken from an interpreter to Taita Juanito in a recent presentation by Canta Con Amor 2020 : “ All people that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many blessings , because you are our family .
All of us are connected .
Now , in this time it is different for all of us .
Some of us have practices and medicines , and this is good .
Continue practicing your spiritual path , and you can consult plants at home .
But another part is that some of us don ’ t have spiritual practices .
We ’ re in sadness .
There ’ s absence in their life , in their heart .
And for all of you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ please understand that you have never been alone .
Always , there is something greater , bigger , deeper , which is the Great Spirit .
You have to connect more .
You , who are experiencing absence , open your heart .
Some say that you need faith .
We say you need to find balance in this time , because for those that have a spiritual path and for those that don ’ t , there is a lesson for both .
First , never feel alone , because when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vibration of nature , the Spirits of nature , and the Great Creator , there , automatically you ’ re not alone .
It ’ s a limiting belief that is taking you there .
For you , we pray for you , and you should pray as well , from your heart .
And if you have plants , do plant baths .
Share this time with your family , your children , your friends , because all this is teaching us community .
We run around too frequently , searching for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need or want , but then we forget to live life .
So now you have this chance .
Live life .
Live intensely , asking the Creator and nature .
The plants have always been here when you place a good intention to a bath or steam bath with plants , or you have a visionary plant , ask of the plant , and the plant will always show you the door .
This time is a gift .
Many people might see it different , but when we go to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ecstasy , a vibration of energy , of light .
A few days ago I drank medicine and I was asking , and what I saw was a world full of vibration , full of colors , and we were observing it , and I was asking why are you showing me this ?
And it said to me , ‘ you , humanity have to be here , in this world of vibration with nature.
’ It ’ s always been her for you .
The spirits have always been here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or Guides , but they have always been here .
We have to ask from them , ask your Guardian , ask that energy of Spirits , the Angels , to come and change your memory through a prayer , through a fast , to strengthen you .
All this fear , this absence that I feel , it is only a limiting belief which is coming , and all things which come to your life , they are for something .
They will bring you strength , they will bring you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ?
What does it want to say to you ?
And there we connect with the art of life , the art of feeling .
This is why the Creator gave us our senses , eyes , mouth , nose , ears , skin .
Activate it .
Activate the listening .
It ’ s important to listen to the heart and to listen to all the energy of the Spirits.
” Taita Juanito continues in this presentation by Canta Con Amor 2020 : Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Podcast About Transformation , both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation , societal awakening , and planetary renewal .
His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu , Qi Gong and Yoga .
After seven years of living in Costa Rica , he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains , where he practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and enjoys spending time with family .
He has written hundreds of articles , reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world .
Dylan is available for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services as a professional life coach to people looking to break free from the patterns and programming that hold them back in life .
Please contact Dylan at WakingTimes @ gmail.com .
This article ( Revered Ayahuasquero Taita Juanito Has an Essential Message for Those Struggling During This Crisis ) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com .
It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution , author bio , and this copyright statement .

Revered Ayahuasquero Taita Juanito Has an Essential Message for Those Struggling During This Crisis
Dylan Charles, Editor
Waking Times
When I look at people’s faces covered in masks, I try to discern from their eyes alone what they are feeling. And it’s tough.
But, it’s tough not because you can’t see their whole faces, it’s tough because people everywhere are hiding their whole selves behind their egoic masks of confidence, surety, and stoicism. They are hiding their true feelings, their pain and their suffering from the world.
We are all experiencing unprecedented stress, loneliness, anxiety, worry, and uncertainty right now. And in this climate, it’s very easy for the mind to take you in to fear. Fear of what’s happening now, and fear of what is to come.
But these feelings aren’t the whole story. They don’t represent the deepest truths about our lives.
The fear is a finger pointing at the moon. Pointing to something so big that we can’t see it right in front of our eyes. Yet here there is a truth much greater and far more powerful than all the fear in the world combined. And when you connect to this truth, your power and your smile return.
Speaking in a recent online conference, revered Ayahuasquero, Taita Juanito shares a powerful message for all people who are experiencing these challenges right now. It’s a message that gets lost in the clutter and flash of an info-drenched and drama-craving world, but it is so simple and pure, that when you open your heart to it, it cuts right through everything else.
I hope you are doing well, but if you’re struggling right now, give some consideration to Taita Juanito’s words here, and please share them with those you know who are also in need of such a reminder.
The following transcript was taken from an interpreter to Taita Juanito in a recent presentation by Canta Con Amor 2020:
“All people that are going through difficulties, we send you many blessings, because you are our family. All of us are connected. Now, in this time it is different for all of us. Some of us have practices and medicines, and this is good. Continue practicing your spiritual path, and you can consult plants at home. But another part is that some of us don’t have spiritual practices. We’re in sadness. There’s absence in their life, in their heart. And for all of you experiencing this absence in your heart, please understand that you have never been alone. Always, there is something greater, bigger, deeper, which is the Great Spirit. You have to connect more. You, who are experiencing absence, open your heart. Some say that you need faith. We say you need to find balance in this time, because for those that have a spiritual path and for those that don’t, there is a lesson for both. First, never feel alone, because when you close your eyes and you feel the vibration of nature, the Spirits of nature, and the Great Creator, there, automatically you’re not alone. It’s a limiting belief that is taking you there. For you, we pray for you, and you should pray as well, from your heart. And if you have plants, do plant baths. Share this time with your family, your children, your friends, because all this is teaching us community. We run around too frequently, searching for money, or things that we may need or want, but then we forget to live life. So now you have this chance. Live life. Live intensely, asking the Creator and nature. The plants have always been here when you place a good intention to a bath or steam bath with plants, or you have a visionary plant, ask of the plant, and the plant will always show you the door. This time is a gift. Many people might see it different, but when we go to the deepest aspect, there’s an ecstasy, a vibration of energy, of light. A few days ago I drank medicine and I was asking, and what I saw was a world full of vibration, full of colors, and we were observing it, and I was asking why are you showing me this? And it said to me, ‘you, humanity have to be here, in this world of vibration with nature.’ It’s always been her for you. The spirits have always been here. You might call them Guardians, Angels, or Guides, but they have always been here. We have to ask from them, ask your Guardian, ask that energy of Spirits, the Angels, to come and change your memory through a prayer, through a fast, to strengthen you. All this fear, this absence that I feel, it is only a limiting belief which is coming, and all things which come to your life, they are for something. They will bring you strength, they will bring you study. What is this experience teaching you? What does it want to say to you? And there we connect with the art of life, the art of feeling. This is why the Creator gave us our senses, eyes, mouth, nose, ears, skin. Activate it. Activate the listening. It’s important to listen to the heart and to listen to all the energy of the Spirits.”
Taita Juanito continues in this presentation by Canta Con Amor 2020:
http://www.facebook.com/cantacomamor2020/videos/584321115835333/
Read more articles by Dylan Charles .
About the Author
Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times and host of Battered Souls: A Podcast About Transformation, both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation, societal awakening, and planetary renewal. His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu, Qi Gong and Yoga. After seven years of living in Costa Rica, he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and enjoys spending time with family. He has written hundreds of articles, reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world.
Dylan is available for interviews and podcasts, and offers his services as a professional life coach to people looking to break free from the patterns and programming that hold them back in life. Please contact Dylan at WakingTimes@gmail.com.
This article (Revered Ayahuasquero Taita Juanito Has an Essential Message for Those Struggling During This Crisis) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.


wakingtimes--2020-12-07--4 Reasons Why Belief in Authority is the Most Dangerous Superstition

4 Reasons Why Belief in Authority is the Most Dangerous Superstition Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
Let ’ s get something straight , here at the outset .
There ’ s nothing wrong with authority itself .
It ’ s the belief part that messes everything up .
Anyone can claim authority .
But such authority only matters if others believe in it .
I can claim that I ’ m an authority on unicorns , but I better have the credentials to prove it .
And it would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point is this : If enough people “ believe ” that I ’ m an authority on unicorns , and they “ believe ” that I have dissected a unicorn and revealed the magical quality of its insides that causes it to shit rainbows , then I ’ ll not only have violated truth , I ’ ll have violated the minds of others and taken advantage of their ignorance .
But , and here ’ s the rub , it ’ s their fault for not questioning my so-called authority .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the field of physics ) , “ Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.
” So if we ’ re correct to question Einstein ’ s revolutionary theories , then we ’ re exponentially correct to question my unicorn theories .
Respecting a prestigious authority , or taking into consideration important knowledge gleaned by someone who is an authority in a particular domain of knowledge is fine .
It ’ s even okay that sometimes we allow people to violate our minds .
We allow artists to do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s when we “ believe ” in authority , when we blindly follow a perceived authority , that things go wrong .
Belief implies non-questioning .
But let ’ s sail right past semantics and art and get down to brass tacks .
Blind belief in authority is dangerous .
And it ’ s doubly dangerous when the majority of people are under its spell .
Here are five reasons why .
1 . )
It Can Cause Otherwise Good People to do Evil Things So back to my authority on unicorns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created the universe ?
Yup !
Not only do they shit rainbows , they also puke universes .
The last unicorn died for our sins in a forest of fiery crosses .
And the only commandment that survived the test of time is this : “ Anyone who questions the fact that unicorns created the universe are godless heathens and deserve to die and spend eternity in the fiery pits of a Tennessee summer afternoon.
” Now enter unquestioning idiots with hooked-on-authority soup for brains .
They “ believe ” the Last Commandment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much that they refuse to question it , lest other believers think they are not true believers .
Lest they get ostracized by the status quo .
Lest they look “ crazy ” in the eyes of their fellow believers .
Now just replace The Last Commandment of the Unicorns with the Bible or the Koran or the Constitution of the United States , or state-driven police enforcement , or the belief that “ nothing can be said to be certain , except death and taxes.
” The problem is that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder , and commit both genocide and ecocide , for what they believe in .
But they might not have fought so violently and thoughtlessly had they simply taken into consideration ALL those claims of authority and moved on smartly with their lives .
The best way to maintain a healthy skepticism , and not devolve into an ignorant , sycophantic , violent mess , is to take things into consideration and question them rather than believe in them .
2 . )
It Leads to the Idea That We Need to Give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Us By the way , the Church of the Last Unicorn is in charge of everything .
It is the power behind all nation states .
It pulls the strings of presidents .
It whispers dark secret nothings into the ears of queens .
It tugs the coattails of emperors .
Its poison-soft invisible rainbow-powers saturate all things .
You might as well just give into it .
You might as well just let them pull your strings through the indirect authority of strategically placed men .
It ’ s just the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you could question it all .
You could question the almighty Unicorns .
You could question the kings and queens and emperors and presidents and judges and lawyers and cops .
You could question all authority , especially the so called authority of the state .
It ’ s so easy even a sixth grader understands it ( see opening quote ) .
The alternative is devolving into a statist .
A statist is a person who believes that a group of people have the right to force , coerce , enslave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Statism is a mental disorder brought on by years of indoctrination .
The problem is that the majority of the world ’ s population has been conditioned and brainwashed into believing in the almighty power of the state .
The problem is that the majority of people are too afraid to question the state , lest they become ostracized by the statist-junky status quo .
The problem is that most people don ’ t even know that they don ’ t know that there is an alternative .
3 . )
Power Given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a little secret : The Pope has unicorn powers .
Then again , so does Colin Kaepernick .
Keep in mind , the unicorn power is a righteous power .
It ’ s a loving power that had , and has , the greatest of intentions .
It created the universe , after all .
And if you don ’ t believe it , then feel free to rot in Hades , Illinois , located directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis ( according to Uncyclopedia : the content-free encyclopedia ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with power isn ’ t its intent .
The problem with power is that it tends to corrupt the one wielding it .
And when it comes to absolute power –well , we all know where that leads .
So since we all know that power tends to corrupt , and since we all want power anyway , it behooves us all to be circumspect both with it and against it .
So it stands to reason not to give power to authority by believing it , but to use the power of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best way to use the power of authority is to use it against the authority by questioning that authority .
It ’ s a social leveling mechanism par excellence , similar to the Native American concept of counting coup .
As Elie Weisel said , “ Every question possesses a power that does not lie within the answer.
” We just need to use that power more effectively , especially against ourselves .
Unicorns forbid !
4 . )
It Leads to An Ignorant and Apathetic Citizenry In the Unicorns we trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symbols of control are hidden in all the world ’ s national flags , waiving influentially over the weakened masses .
Their horns are the invisible bone funnels in everyone ’ s pie , siphoning power like it was blood pudding .
Oh , I forgot to mention , blood pudding is a unicorn ’ s favorite dish .
Obey , or go without !
When it comes down to it , obedience to authority is a disease of laziness and indifference .
It hinders the progressive evolution of our species by undermining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the better .
Forget “ for the worst.
” Fighting for the better at risk of the worst is far superior to shirking the better in fear of the worst .
Similarly , worst case scenarios should not be avoided at the expense of healthy progress .
Healthy progress should be embraced at the risk of worst case scenarios .
Otherwise we don ’ t get anywhere but where we are .
Which is great if “ where we are ” is perfect .
But since perfection is not possible , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all-too-precious apple cart ( or blood pudding cart , in this case ) in order to progress .
If , as Jose Ortega y Gasset said , “ Man , whether he likes it or not , is a being forced by his nature to seek some higher authority .
If he succeeds in finding it of himself then he is a superior man ; if not , he is a mass-man and must receive it from his superiors , ” then it is incumbent upon us to have the courage to shirk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-authority through self-questioning .
As long as we are responsible with our own power , and as long as we don ’ t allow anyone to hold too much power over us , then we might just be able to get out of our own way as a species .
Because , as it stands now , we are definitely in our own way .
Especially since following authority in today ’ s world means giving into debt-slavery , kowtowing to an expropriating state , and being unwitting accomplices to genocides past and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Fuck-it Point surmised , “ Obedience to authority is not a valid excuse ; not when doing what we ’ re “ supposed to do ” means letting this civilization-machine continue to kill life on earth just to make commodities out of living beings and life easy only for some.
” Gary ‘ Z ’ McGee , a former Navy Intelligence Specialist turned philosopher , is the author of Birthday Suit of God and The Looking Glass Man .
His works are inspired by the great philosophers of the ages and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like Waking Times on Facebook .
Follow Waking Times on Twitter .
This article ( 4 Reasons Why Belief in Authority is the Most Dangerous Superstition ) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is printed here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Gary ‘ Z ’ McGee and WakingTimes.com .
It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution , author bio , and this statement of copyright .
~~ Help Waking Times to raise the vibration by sharing this article with friends and family…

4 Reasons Why Belief in Authority is the Most Dangerous Superstition
Gary ‘Z’ McGee, Staff Writer
Waking Times
“Question authority, including the authority that told you to question authority.” ~Sixth grade girl
Let’s get something straight, here at the outset. There’s nothing wrong with authority itself. It’s the belief part that messes everything up. Anyone can claim authority. But such authority only matters if others believe in it.
I can claim that I’m an authority on unicorns, but I better have the credentials to prove it. And it would also help if unicorns existed. But the point is this: If enough people “believe” that I’m an authority on unicorns, and they “believe” that I have dissected a unicorn and revealed the magical quality of its insides that causes it to shit rainbows, then I’ll not only have violated truth, I’ll have violated the minds of others and taken advantage of their ignorance. But, and here’s the rub, it’s their fault for not questioning my so-called authority. As Albert Einstein said (himself an authority in the field of physics), “Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.” So if we’re correct to question Einstein’s revolutionary theories, then we’re exponentially correct to question my unicorn theories.
Respecting a prestigious authority, or taking into consideration important knowledge gleaned by someone who is an authority in a particular domain of knowledge is fine. It’s even okay that sometimes we allow people to violate our minds. We allow artists to do it all the time. No, it’s when we “believe” in authority, when we blindly follow a perceived authority, that things go wrong.
Belief implies non-questioning. But let’s sail right past semantics and art and get down to brass tacks. Blind belief in authority is dangerous. And it’s doubly dangerous when the majority of people are under its spell. Here are five reasons why.
1.) It Can Cause Otherwise Good People to do Evil Things
“It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” ~Mark Twain
So back to my authority on unicorns. Did you know that unicorns also created the universe? Yup! Not only do they shit rainbows, they also puke universes. The last unicorn died for our sins in a forest of fiery crosses. And the only commandment that survived the test of time is this: “Anyone who questions the fact that unicorns created the universe are godless heathens and deserve to die and spend eternity in the fiery pits of a Tennessee summer afternoon.”
Now enter unquestioning idiots with hooked-on-authority soup for brains. They “believe” the Last Commandment of the Unicorns. They believe it so much that they refuse to question it, lest other believers think they are not true believers. Lest they get ostracized by the status quo. Lest they look “crazy” in the eyes of their fellow believers. Now just replace The Last Commandment of the Unicorns with the Bible or the Koran or the Constitution of the United States, or state-driven police enforcement, or the belief that “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
The problem is that people will fight, and kill, and murder, and commit both genocide and ecocide, for what they believe in. But they might not have fought so violently and thoughtlessly had they simply taken into consideration ALL those claims of authority and moved on smartly with their lives. The best way to maintain a healthy skepticism, and not devolve into an ignorant, sycophantic, violent mess, is to take things into consideration and question them rather than believe in them.
2.) It Leads to the Idea That We Need to Give a Group of People Permission to Control Us
“The multitudes have a tendency to accept whoever is master. Their very mass weighs them down with apathy. A mob easily adds up to obedience. You have to stir them up, push them, treat the men rough using the very advantage of their deliverance, hurt their eyes with the truth, throw light at them in terrible handfuls.” ~Victor Hugo
By the way, the Church of the Last Unicorn is in charge of everything. It is the power behind all nation states. It pulls the strings of presidents. It whispers dark secret nothings into the ears of queens. It tugs the coattails of emperors. Its poison-soft invisible rainbow-powers saturate all things. You might as well just give into it. You might as well just let them pull your strings through the indirect authority of strategically placed men. It’s just the way things are, after all.
Or, you could question it all. You could question the almighty Unicorns. You could question the kings and queens and emperors and presidents and judges and lawyers and cops. You could question all authority, especially the so called authority of the state. It’s so easy even a sixth grader understands it (see opening quote).
The alternative is devolving into a statist. A statist is a person who believes that a group of people have the right to force, coerce, enslave, rob, and murder others. Statism is a mental disorder brought on by years of indoctrination. The problem is that the majority of the world’s population has been conditioned and brainwashed into believing in the almighty power of the state. The problem is that the majority of people are too afraid to question the state, lest they become ostracized by the statist-junky status quo. The problem is that most people don’t even know that they don’t know that there is an alternative.
3.) Power Given to Authority Tends to Corrupt
“I have as much authority as the Pope. I just don’t have as many people who believe it.” ~George Carlin
Here’s a little secret: The Pope has unicorn powers. Then again, so does Colin Kaepernick. Keep in mind, the unicorn power is a righteous power. It’s a loving power that had, and has, the greatest of intentions. It created the universe, after all. And if you don’t believe it, then feel free to rot in Hades, Illinois, located directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis (according to Uncyclopedia: the content-free encyclopedia).
But I digress, the problem with power isn’t its intent. The problem with power is that it tends to corrupt the one wielding it. And when it comes to absolute power –well, we all know where that leads. So since we all know that power tends to corrupt, and since we all want power anyway, it behooves us all to be circumspect both with it and against it.
So it stands to reason not to give power to authority by believing it, but to use the power of authority instead by undermining it. And the best way to use the power of authority is to use it against the authority by questioning that authority. It’s a social leveling mechanism par excellence, similar to the Native American concept of counting coup. As Elie Weisel said, “Every question possesses a power that does not lie within the answer.” We just need to use that power more effectively, especially against ourselves. Unicorns forbid!
4.) It Leads to An Ignorant and Apathetic Citizenry
“The totally convinced and the totally stupid have too much in common for the resemblance to be accidental.” ~Robert Anton Wilson
In the Unicorns we trust! Their powers are ubiquitous. Their symbols of control are hidden in all the world’s national flags, waiving influentially over the weakened masses. Their horns are the invisible bone funnels in everyone’s pie, siphoning power like it was blood pudding. Oh, I forgot to mention, blood pudding is a unicorn’s favorite dish. Obey, or go without!
When it comes down to it, obedience to authority is a disease of laziness and indifference. It hinders the progressive evolution of our species by undermining anything that might challenge the current system for the better. Forget “for the worst.” Fighting for the better at risk of the worst is far superior to shirking the better in fear of the worst. Similarly, worst case scenarios should not be avoided at the expense of healthy progress. Healthy progress should be embraced at the risk of worst case scenarios. Otherwise we don’t get anywhere but where we are. Which is great if “where we are” is perfect. But since perfection is not possible, we must be willing to risk upsetting the all-too-precious apple cart (or blood pudding cart, in this case) in order to progress.
If, as Jose Ortega y Gasset said, “Man, whether he likes it or not, is a being forced by his nature to seek some higher authority. If he succeeds in finding it of himself then he is a superior man; if not, he is a mass-man and must receive it from his superiors,” then it is incumbent upon us to have the courage to shirk our inner mass-man in order to discover self-authority through self-questioning. As long as we are responsible with our own power, and as long as we don’t allow anyone to hold too much power over us, then we might just be able to get out of our own way as a species.
Because, as it stands now, we are definitely in our own way. Especially since following authority in today’s world means giving into debt-slavery, kowtowing to an expropriating state, and being unwitting accomplices to genocides past and ecocides future. As the authors of The Fuck-it Point surmised, “Obedience to authority is not a valid excuse; not when doing what we’re “supposed to do” means letting this civilization-machine continue to kill life on earth just to make commodities out of living beings and life easy only for some.”
Read more articles by Gary ‘Z’ McGee .
About the Author
Gary ‘Z’ McGee, a former Navy Intelligence Specialist turned philosopher, is the author of Birthday Suit of God and The Looking Glass Man. His works are inspired by the great philosophers of the ages and his wide awake view of the modern world.
This article (4 Reasons Why Belief in Authority is the Most Dangerous Superstition) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is printed here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Gary ‘Z’ McGee and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this statement of copyright.
~~ Help Waking Times to raise the vibration by sharing this article with friends and family…


wakingtimes--2020-12-07--Multi-Colored Tales from the Yagé Lodge – A Special, FREE and FUN Event About the Lighter Side of Dr

Multi-Colored Tales from the Yagé Lodge – A Special , FREE and FUN Event About the Lighter Side of Drinking Ayahuasca Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
With all of the stress and strain of the year building up to some insane climax as we get launched into the Age of Aquarius under the loving guidance of the New World Order , I thought it would be fun to do something totally different , and JUST FOR FUN !
I ’ ve been on some rather amazing adventures in my life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cosmic , other-worldly , mystical , fascinating and mind-blowing as the proper yagé ( ayahuasca ) ceremonies I ’ ve done with traditional Secoya elders and my friend and teacher , Jonathon Miller Weisberger .
We ’ re talking screaming good times in the jungle , working our bodies to the bone cooking brew for the brave , so we can journey all night in the celestial realms and get very , very close to spirit , then meditate listening to the Screaming Insect Wizard channel songs from our heavenly ancestors as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jonathon ’ s super power is story telling , and since we could all use a hefty dose of levity and cosmic inspiration right now , I ’ m hosting an extraordinary event this Wednesday , Dec. 9th at 7pm EST .
Forget the science and the medical reports .
Forget the talk about depression and healing .
Forget the studies and the drug laws , and toss the data points on demographics .
This is the real truth about drinking yagé… It ’ s Fun !
So , join me this Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tap into the mystery and wonder of the cosmos , and tell far out tales meant to remind you that there is so much more going on than what meets the eye .
We ’ ll talk for one hour , all the while responding to questions .
Please join us !
Jonathon is also the author of Rainforest Medicine : Preserving Indigenous Science and Biodiversity in the Upper Amazon , and as the proprietor of Ocean Forest Eco Lodge he saves sea turtles , and cares for an insane ayahuasca garden on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his medicine retreats , here .
Earlier this year I recorded a conversation with Jonathon for Battered Souls .
Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times and host of Battered Souls : A Podcast About Transformation , both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation , societal awakening , and planetary renewal .
His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu , Qi Gong and Yoga .
After seven years of living in Costa Rica , he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and enjoys spending time with family .
He has written hundreds of articles , reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world .
Dylan is available for interviews and podcasts , and offers his services as a professional life coach to people looking to break free from the patterns and programming that hold them back in life .
Please contact Dylan at WakingTimes @ gmail.com .
This article ( Multi-Colored Tales from the Yagé Lodge – A Special , FREE and FUN Event About the Lighter Side of Drinking Ayahuasca ) was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com .
It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution , author bio , and this copyright statement .

Multi-Colored Tales from the Yagé Lodge – A Special, FREE and FUN Event About the Lighter Side of Drinking Ayahuasca
Dylan Charles, Editor
Waking Times
With all of the stress and strain of the year building up to some insane climax as we get launched into the Age of Aquarius under the loving guidance of the New World Order, I thought it would be fun to do something totally different, and JUST FOR FUN!
I’ve been on some rather amazing adventures in my life, but none as far out, cosmic, other-worldly, mystical, fascinating and mind-blowing as the proper yagé (ayahuasca) ceremonies I’ve done with traditional Secoya elders and my friend and teacher, Jonathon Miller Weisberger.
We’re talking screaming good times in the jungle, working our bodies to the bone cooking brew for the brave, so we can journey all night in the celestial realms and get very, very close to spirit, then meditate listening to the Screaming Insect Wizard channel songs from our heavenly ancestors as the sun comes up in the forest.
Jonathon’s super power is story telling, and since we could all use a hefty dose of levity and cosmic inspiration right now, I’m hosting an extraordinary event this Wednesday, Dec. 9th at 7pm EST.
Forget everything you’ve heard about ayahuasca.
Forget the science and the medical reports. Forget the talk about depression and healing. Forget the studies and the drug laws, and toss the data points on demographics.
This is the real truth about drinking yagé… It’s Fun!
So, join me this Wednesday evening for something totally different as we tap into the mystery and wonder of the cosmos, and tell far out tales meant to remind you that there is so much more going on than what meets the eye. We’ll talk for one hour, all the while responding to questions. Please join us!
Jonathon is also the author of Rainforest Medicine: Preserving Indigenous Science and Biodiversity in the Upper Amazon, and as the proprietor of Ocean Forest Eco Lodge he saves sea turtles, and cares for an insane ayahuasca garden on a beach in paradise. Find out about his medicine retreats, here.
Earlier this year I recorded a conversation with Jonathon for Battered Souls.
About the Author
Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times and host of Battered Souls: A Podcast About Transformation, both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation, societal awakening, and planetary renewal. His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu, Qi Gong and Yoga. After seven years of living in Costa Rica, he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and enjoys spending time with family. He has written hundreds of articles, reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world.
Dylan is available for interviews and podcasts, and offers his services as a professional life coach to people looking to break free from the patterns and programming that hold them back in life. Please contact Dylan at WakingTimes@gmail.com.
This article (Multi-Colored Tales from the Yagé Lodge – A Special, FREE and FUN Event About the Lighter Side of Drinking Ayahuasca) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.


wakingtimes--2020-12-07--Frontline Healthcare Workers Say No To COVID-19 Vaccine, Cite Safety Concerns, Rushed Product

Frontline Healthcare Workers Say No To COVID-19 Vaccine , Cite Safety Concerns , Rushed Product Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
Many politicians , companies , and advocacy groups across the planet are celebrating the fact that governments have moved to fast-track the approval of COVID-19 vaccines from various companies .
Many of these same people are also pushing to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory to continue normal life .
While mandatory vaccines may be music the ears of many , the idea of removing informed consent is chilling and should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support a free society .
Nonetheless , across the country , dozens of bills have been filed proposing to expand , restrict or eliminate vaccine informed consent rights .
Many of the informed consent removal bills are for childhood vaccines like the measles .
While it is never okay to mandate medication without consent , at least we have decades of science studying the effects of vaccines like MMR .
The same can not be said about the COVID-19 vaccine which was developed and brought to market in less than a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being written , “ fact-checkers ” are pining away in the darkness waiting to pounce on anyone who questions the safety of the vaccines .
Despite government officials echoing the claims of the vaccine manufacturers that the vaccines are 90 to 95 percent effective , no one knows what will happen in the long term .
By the very definition of the term , “ long term effects ” the long term results vaccine are completely unknown .
Side effects , according to the experts , are acceptable and should be expected with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deterrent .
Those working on the front lines of the the pandemic are expected to receive the vaccine first , and these talking points about the COVID-19 jab are not sitting well with many of them .
Because they work on the front lines , healthcare workers are eligible to skip to the front of the line to receive the jab of the vaccine that was developed in record time .
However , despite assurances from vaccine makers and their revolving door friends in the Food and Drug Administration , many of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rushed product .
“ I think I would take the vaccine later on , but right now I am a little leery of it , ” nurse Yolanda Dodson , 55 , who works at the Montefiore Hospital in New York City and spent the spring in the heart of the deadly fight against the virus told AFP .
Indeed it is and this is why many in the government want to remove our ability to make that decision .
Others point out the dumpster fire that was the government ’ s response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine .
Diana Torres , a nurse at a Manhattan hospital who saw several of her co-workers die of the virus this spring , said she ’ s suspicious of vaccines rushed for approval under the Trump administration , which she says has handled the entire pandemic like “ some sort of joke.
” But critics of the skeptics tout the efficacy rates promoted by Moderna and Pfizer as reason to lower their defenses and line up for the jab .
Though the 90 % efficacy rate touted by Pfizer is certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by those making this claim is less than stellar .
Pfizer has paid out billions in health care fraud fines and in fact was party to the largest health care fraud settlement in US history .
The pharmaceutical giant paid out $ 2.3 billion in 2009 to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products But that was only a single case , this company has a track record dating back decades that includes everything from bribing government officials to illegally testing products on children to making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them — leading to multiple deaths .
Despite making the largest payout in history , Pfizer has continued to be called to the carpet since 2009 multiple times for misleading the public about their drugs — up to and including vaccines .
Moderna has not been around long enough to get into much trouble , but other companies working on vaccines have track records similar to Pfizer ’ s .
These include Johnson & Johnson , whose penalty total on Violation Tracker is $ 4.2 billion , AstraZeneca ( $ 1.1 billion ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sanofi ( $ 641 million ) .
Nevertheless , Americans have short memories and seemingly couldn ’ t care less about the criminal past of these companies pushing a vaccine that was developed and tested in less time than any vaccine in the history of medicine .
Americans would do well to research the last time a vaccine was fast-tracked with limited testing .
As the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine wrote in its peer-reviewed paper titled The Cutter Incident : How America ’ s First Polio Vaccine Led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine for COVID-19 would certainly be welcomed by many , the idea of rushing this in depth process which normally takes years or decades to complete , could prove to be utterly catastrophic .
“ Getting safety issues wrong with a COVID-19 vaccine could set us back for years or even decades , ” says vaccine expert Richard Malley , MD .
We should probably heed his advice .
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world .
Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds .
**This article ( Frontline Healthcare Workers Say No To COVID-19 Vaccine , Cite Safety Concerns , Rushed Product ) was originally published at The Free Thought Project and is re-posted here with permission .
**

Frontline Healthcare Workers Say No To COVID-19 Vaccine, Cite Safety Concerns, Rushed Product
Matt Agorist, The Free Thought Project
Waking Times
Many politicians, companies, and advocacy groups across the planet are celebrating the fact that governments have moved to fast-track the approval of COVID-19 vaccines from various companies. Many of these same people are also pushing to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory to continue normal life.
While mandatory vaccines may be music the ears of many, the idea of removing informed consent is chilling and should never be accepted by anyone who claims to support a free society. Nonetheless, across the country, dozens of bills have been filed proposing to expand, restrict or eliminate vaccine informed consent rights.
Many of the informed consent removal bills are for childhood vaccines like the measles. While it is never okay to mandate medication without consent, at least we have decades of science studying the effects of vaccines like MMR. The same cannot be said about the COVID-19 vaccine which was developed and brought to market in less than a year.
Undoubtedly, as this article is being written, “fact-checkers” are pining away in the darkness waiting to pounce on anyone who questions the safety of the vaccines. Despite government officials echoing the claims of the vaccine manufacturers that the vaccines are 90 to 95 percent effective, no one knows what will happen in the long term. By the very definition of the term, “long term effects” the long term results vaccine are completely unknown.
“I always make sure we say that [while] we know the short term and I’m going to call it midterm effects of the vaccine is now well understood, the very long-term safety is not yet understood by definition,” Dr. Moncef Slaoui, Trump’s vaccine czar said this week when stating that 10% to 15% of volunteers who took the vaccine, showed side effects that were “significantly noticeable.”
Side effects, according to the experts, are acceptable and should be expected with the vaccine and should not be a deterrent.
“We really need to make patients aware that this is not going to be a walk in the park,” Dr. Sandra Fryhofer of the American Medical Association told the CDC advisory group on Nov. 23. “They are going to know they had a vaccine. They are probably not going to feel wonderful. But they’ve got to come back for that second dose.”
Those working on the front lines of the the pandemic are expected to receive the vaccine first, and these talking points about the COVID-19 jab are not sitting well with many of them.
Because they work on the front lines, healthcare workers are eligible to skip to the front of the line to receive the jab of the vaccine that was developed in record time. However, despite assurances from vaccine makers and their revolving door friends in the Food and Drug Administration, many of these front line workers are leery of this rushed product.
“I think I would take the vaccine later on, but right now I am a little leery of it,” nurse Yolanda Dodson, 55, who works at the Montefiore Hospital in New York City and spent the spring in the heart of the deadly fight against the virus told AFP.
“Vaccine studies so far “look promising but I don’t think there is enough data yet,” Dodson said. “We have to be grateful to those who are willing to subject themselves to take that risk” to participate in the studies, she said. “It is a very personal decision.”
Indeed it is and this is why many in the government want to remove our ability to make that decision.
Others point out the dumpster fire that was the government’s response to the pandemic as reason for distrusting the vaccine.
Diana Torres, a nurse at a Manhattan hospital who saw several of her co-workers die of the virus this spring, said she’s suspicious of vaccines rushed for approval under the Trump administration, which she says has handled the entire pandemic like “some sort of joke.”
“This is a vaccine that was developed in less than a year and approved under the same administration and government agencies that allowed the virus to spread like a wildfire,” Torres said. “They didn’t have enough time and people to study the vaccine,” she said. “This time around I will pass and watch how it unfolds.” “They failed miserably with PPE (personal protective equipment) and testing and now they want you to be guinea pigs for the vaccine,” Torres friend added.
But critics of the skeptics tout the efficacy rates promoted by Moderna and Pfizer as reason to lower their defenses and line up for the jab.
Though the 90% efficacy rate touted by Pfizer is certainly welcome to many, the track record by those making this claim is less than stellar. Pfizer has paid out billions in health care fraud fines and in fact was party to the largest health care fraud settlement in US history.
The pharmaceutical giant paid out $2.3 billion in 2009 to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products
“Pfizer violated the law over an extensive time period. Furthermore, at the very same time Pfizer was in our office negotiating and resolving the allegations of criminal conduct by its then newly acquired subsidiary, Warner-Lambert, Pfizer was itself in its other operations violating those very same laws,” Mike Loucks, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts said at the time.
But that was only a single case, this company has a track record dating back decades that includes everything from bribing government officials to illegally testing products on children to making false claims about drugs and illegally marketing them — leading to multiple deaths. Despite making the largest payout in history, Pfizer has continued to be called to the carpet since 2009 multiple times for misleading the public about their drugs — up to and including vaccines.
Moderna has not been around long enough to get into much trouble, but other companies working on vaccines have track records similar to Pfizer’s. These include Johnson & Johnson, whose penalty total on Violation Tracker is $4.2 billion, AstraZeneca ($1.1 billion), GlaxoSmithKline ($4.4 billion) and Sanofi ($641 million).
Nevertheless, Americans have short memories and seemingly couldn’t care less about the criminal past of these companies pushing a vaccine that was developed and tested in less time than any vaccine in the history of medicine.
Americans would do well to research the last time a vaccine was fast-tracked with limited testing. As the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine wrote in its peer-reviewed paper titled The Cutter Incident: How America’s First Polio Vaccine Led to a Growing Vaccine Crisis:
In April 1955 more than 200 000 children in five Western and mid-Western USA states received a polio vaccine in which the process of inactivating the live virus proved to be defective. Within days there were reports of paralysis and within a month the first mass vaccination programme against polio had to be abandoned. Subsequent investigations revealed that the vaccine, manufactured by the California-based family firm of Cutter Laboratories, had caused 40 000 cases of polio, leaving 200 children with varying degrees of paralysis and killing 10.
While a vaccine for COVID-19 would certainly be welcomed by many, the idea of rushing this in depth process which normally takes years or decades to complete, could prove to be utterly catastrophic.
“Getting safety issues wrong with a COVID-19 vaccine could set us back for years or even decades,” says vaccine expert Richard Malley, MD.
We should probably heed his advice.
About the Author
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
**This article (Frontline Healthcare Workers Say No To COVID-19 Vaccine, Cite Safety Concerns, Rushed Product) was originally published at The Free Thought Project and is re-posted here with permission.**


wakingtimes--2020-12-07--Red Cross President Demands Gov’t, Media Silence Those Who Question Safety Of COVID Vaccine

Red Cross President Demands Gov ’ t , Media Silence Those Who Question Safety Of COVID Vaccine Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
While there are certainly some outlandish claims based on complete nonsense made by those who oppose vaccinations as well as the rabid pro-vaxxers , there are very real reasons to advocate for informed consent and vaccine safety .
No one here at TFTP is telling anyone what to do in regard to vaccinations .
We are however , advocating for safety at all levels of this process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are increasingly being treated as outcasts and lawmakers and media alike are calling for them to be silenced .
There are now renewed efforts by many in the government and medical institutions to quash the chatter when it comes to talking about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine .
The most recent call for censorship comes from Francesco Rocca , president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies .
In a virtual briefing to the U.N .
Correspondents Association , Rocca called for a government and institution-sponsored push to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines , calling skepticism over the jab “ a second pandemic.
” As the AP reported , he said there is “ a growing hesitancy about vaccines in general , and about a COVID vaccine in particular ” around the world , pointing to a recent Johns Hopkins University study in 67 countries that found vaccine acceptance declined significantly in most countries from July to October this year .
Rocca correctly stated that skeptics of the safety of the vaccine are not just in Western countries and , in fact , concerns come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massive efforts to proactively build and maintain trust ” is double speak for ‘ censor those who don ’ t unquestioningly line up to receive a vaccine that was developed with no long-term studies and in record time.
’ While those who don ’ t blindly trust a fast-tracked vaccine are being labelled as kooks and anti-vaxxers , the reality is that these vaccine manufacturers and their government enablers have given us every reason in the world not to trust them .
Skepticism from Africans is most assuredly warranted .
Pfizer , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , that the UK will start distributing this week , has a history in Africa of testing drugs on unsuspecting people .
In 2000 the Washington Post published a major exposé accusing Pfizer of testing a dangerous new antibiotic called Trovan on children in Nigeria without receiving proper consent from their parents .
The experiment occurred during a 1996 meningitis epidemic in the country .
In 2001 Pfizer was sued in U.S. federal court by thirty Nigerian families , who accused the company of using their children as human guinea pigs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts concluded that Pfizer had violated international law .
In 2009 the company agreed to pay $ 75 million to settle some of the lawsuits that had been brought in Nigerian courts .
The U.S. case was settled in 2011 for an undisclosed amount .
Classified U.S. State Department cables made public in 2010 by Wikileaks indicated that Pfizer had hired investigators to dig up dirt on Nigeria ’ s former attorney general as a way to get leverage in one of the remaining cases .
Pfizer had to apologize over the revelation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed that the group Doctors Without Borders was also dispensing Trovan during the Nigerian meningitis epidemic .
Are we supposed to forget the track record of this company who deliberately misled regulators about the hazards of their products , knowingly contributing to the deaths of more than 125 people ?
Or who experimented on children ?
Or who has paid out hundreds of millions in settlements for the deaths of scores of patients ?
The fact is that Pfizer is one of many companies developing or who has developed a COVID-19 vaccine with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to illegally testing products on children to making false claims about drugs and illegally marketing them .
These companies include Johnson & Johnson , whose penalty total on Violation Tracker is $ 4.2 billion , AstraZeneca ( $ 1.1 billion ) , GlaxoSmithKline ( $ 4.4 billion ) and Sanofi ( $ 641 million ) .
The track record of these companies , coupled with the incredibly fast development even has staunchly pro-vaccine health care workers worried .
As TFTP reported last week , because they work on the front lines , healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of the line to receive the jab .
However , despite assurances from vaccine makers and their revolving door friends in the Food and Drug Administration , many of these front line workers are leery of this rushed product .
Should they all be silenced too ?
While attempting to fact check completely false information about vaccines is one thing , the idea that government , media , and institutions should launch a coordinated effort to censor those who simply advocate for safety , is chilling .
Questioning potential solutions and vigorously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound science .
When one side gets to silence the other , however , this process can no longer be referred to as science but rather a scientific dictatorship .
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world .
Agorist is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thought Project .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds .
**This article ( Red Cross President Demands Gov ’ t , Media Silence Those Who Question Safety Of COVID Vaccine ) was originally published at The Free Thought Project and is re-posted here with permission .
**

Red Cross President Demands Gov’t, Media Silence Those Who Question Safety Of COVID Vaccine
Matt Agorist, The Free Thought Project
Waking Times
While there are certainly some outlandish claims based on complete nonsense made by those who oppose vaccinations as well as the rabid pro-vaxxers, there are very real reasons to advocate for informed consent and vaccine safety. No one here at TFTP is telling anyone what to do in regard to vaccinations. We are however, advocating for safety at all levels of this process. Nevertheless, those who promote vaccine safety are increasingly being treated as outcasts and lawmakers and media alike are calling for them to be silenced.
There are now renewed efforts by many in the government and medical institutions to quash the chatter when it comes to talking about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The most recent call for censorship comes from Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In a virtual briefing to the U.N. Correspondents Association, Rocca called for a government and institution-sponsored push to combat “fake news” about COVID-19 vaccines, calling skepticism over the jab “a second pandemic.”
Rocca clearly stated that “to beat this pandemic, we also have to defeat the parallel pandemic of distrust.”
As the AP reported, he said there is “a growing hesitancy about vaccines in general, and about a COVID vaccine in particular” around the world, pointing to a recent Johns Hopkins University study in 67 countries that found vaccine acceptance declined significantly in most countries from July to October this year.
Rocca correctly stated that skeptics of the safety of the vaccine are not just in Western countries and, in fact, concerns come from all around the globe.
“We believe that the massive, coordinated efforts that will be needed to roll out the COVID vaccine in an equitable manner need to be paralleled by equally massive efforts to proactively build and maintain trust,” Rocca said.
“Massive efforts to proactively build and maintain trust” is double speak for ‘censor those who don’t unquestioningly line up to receive a vaccine that was developed with no long-term studies and in record time.’
While those who don’t blindly trust a fast-tracked vaccine are being labelled as kooks and anti-vaxxers, the reality is that these vaccine manufacturers and their government enablers have given us every reason in the world not to trust them.
“In several African countries, we have seen a common skepticism towards vaccines in general, with a common belief being that foreigners use Africa as a medical ‘testing ground,’” Rocca told the UN, dismissing Big Pharma’s history in Africa.
Skepticism from Africans is most assuredly warranted. Pfizer, one of the lead manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccine, that the UK will start distributing this week, has a history in Africa of testing drugs on unsuspecting people.
In 2000 the Washington Post published a major exposé accusing Pfizer of testing a dangerous new antibiotic called Trovan on children in Nigeria without receiving proper consent from their parents. The experiment occurred during a 1996 meningitis epidemic in the country. In 2001 Pfizer was sued in U.S. federal court by thirty Nigerian families, who accused the company of using their children as human guinea pigs.
In 2006 a panel of Nigerian medical experts concluded that Pfizer had violated international law. In 2009 the company agreed to pay $75 million to settle some of the lawsuits that had been brought in Nigerian courts. The U.S. case was settled in 2011 for an undisclosed amount.
Classified U.S. State Department cables made public in 2010 by Wikileaks indicated that Pfizer had hired investigators to dig up dirt on Nigeria’s former attorney general as a way to get leverage in one of the remaining cases. Pfizer had to apologize over the revelation in the cables that it had falsely claimed that the group Doctors Without Borders was also dispensing Trovan during the Nigerian meningitis epidemic.
Are we supposed to forget the track record of this company who deliberately misled regulators about the hazards of their products, knowingly contributing to the deaths of more than 125 people? Or who experimented on children? Or who has paid out hundreds of millions in settlements for the deaths of scores of patients?
The fact is that Pfizer is one of many companies developing or who has developed a COVID-19 vaccine with track records that include bribing government officials to illegally testing products on children to making false claims about drugs and illegally marketing them. These companies include Johnson & Johnson, whose penalty total on Violation Tracker is $4.2 billion, AstraZeneca ($1.1 billion), GlaxoSmithKline ($4.4 billion) and Sanofi ($641 million).
The track record of these companies, coupled with the incredibly fast development even has staunchly pro-vaccine health care workers worried. As TFTP reported last week, because they work on the front lines, healthcare workers are eligible to skip to the front of the line to receive the jab. However, despite assurances from vaccine makers and their revolving door friends in the Food and Drug Administration, many of these front line workers are leery of this rushed product.
Should they all be silenced too?
While attempting to fact check completely false information about vaccines is one thing, the idea that government, media, and institutions should launch a coordinated effort to censor those who simply advocate for safety, is chilling. Questioning potential solutions and vigorously testing them is the very foundation of sound science. When one side gets to silence the other, however, this process can no longer be referred to as science but rather a scientific dictatorship.
About the Author
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
**This article (Red Cross President Demands Gov’t, Media Silence Those Who Question Safety Of COVID Vaccine) was originally published at The Free Thought Project and is re-posted here with permission.**


wakingtimes--2020-12-09--Jupiter And Saturn Will Form ‘Double Planet’ This December For The First Time In 800 Years

Jupiter And Saturn Will Form ‘ Double Planet ’ This December For The First Time In 800 Years Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
The night sky has a special treat in store for stargazers this winter solstice .
On Dec. 21 , Jupiter and Saturn will be so closely aligned that they will appear as a “ double planet , ” Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan announced in a university press release .
This is called a conjunction , and the last time such a close one between the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1226 .
A conjunction occurs when two celestial objects appear close together when seen from Earth .
The conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn occurs when the orbits of the two planets align with Earth ’ s , something that only happens once every 20 years and is referred to as a “ great conjunction , ” according to NASA .
However , this great conjunction brings the planets even closer together than usual .
They will appear to be separated by just a tenth of a degree , or the thickness of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ On the evening of closest approach on Dec 21 they will look like a double planet , separated by only 1/5th the diameter of the full moon , ” Hartigan said in the press release .
“ For most telescope viewers , each planet and several of their largest moons will be visible in the same field of view that evening.
” However , if the skies are cloudy the night of the 21st itself , the planets will still be close from Dec. 16 to 25 .
The space between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the full moon .
The phenomenon will be easiest to see from the equator , but should be visible everywhere on Earth .
To see it , look to the low western sky for about an hour after sunset .
However , those in northern latitudes should try to look for the sight as closely after sunset as possible .
“ The further north a viewer is , the less time they ’ ll have to catch a glimpse of the conjunction before the planets sink below the horizon , ” Hartigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , another so close won ’ t be visible until 2080 .
After that , it will not occur again until after 2400 .
While the last time the phenomenon was visible was in the Middle Ages , a similar alignment occurred in 1623 , but it was too close to the sun to be seen from Earth , USA TODAY explained .
“ You would be lucky to see this once in a lifetime , ” Andrew Jacob of the Sydney Observatory said , as the Evening Standard reported .
The event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star ” or the “ Star of Bethlehem.
” German astronomer Johannes Kepler theorized in 1614 that a similar conjunction might have been the source of the bright “ star ” that the Wise Men followed to visit the baby Jesus in the nativity story .

Jupiter And Saturn Will Form ‘Double Planet’ This December For The First Time In 800 Years
Olivia Rosane, EcoWatch
Waking Times
The night sky has a special treat in store for stargazers this winter solstice.
On Dec. 21, Jupiter and Saturn will be so closely aligned that they will appear as a “double planet,” Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan announced in a university press release. This is called a conjunction, and the last time such a close one between the two planets was visible from Earth was in 1226.
“That’s just [shy] of 800 years ago” Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics spokeswoman Amy Oliver told USA TODAY. “Call [2020’s conjunction] a unique, holiday gift to the world. Maybe it’s the soothing band-aid for 2020.”
A conjunction occurs when two celestial objects appear close together when seen from Earth. The conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn occurs when the orbits of the two planets align with Earth’s, something that only happens once every 20 years and is referred to as a “great conjunction,” according to NASA. However, this great conjunction brings the planets even closer together than usual. They will appear to be separated by just a tenth of a degree, or the thickness of a dime held at arm’s length. “On the evening of closest approach on Dec 21 they will look like a double planet, separated by only 1/5th the diameter of the full moon,” Hartigan said in the press release. “For most telescope viewers, each planet and several of their largest moons will be visible in the same field of view that evening.”
However, if the skies are cloudy the night of the 21st itself, the planets will still be close from Dec. 16 to 25. The space between them will be less than the diameter of the full moon. The phenomenon will be easiest to see from the equator, but should be visible everywhere on Earth. To see it, look to the low western sky for about an hour after sunset. However, those in northern latitudes should try to look for the sight as closely after sunset as possible. “The further north a viewer is, the less time they’ll have to catch a glimpse of the conjunction before the planets sink below the horizon,” Hartigan explained.