The Age Of Aquarius.

I have always found astrology interesting, even though I view it more as an enthralling assumption than a credulous fact. I read my horoscope with amusement and I do not believe that my entire personality or my life are tailored by my zodiac sign. Nor am I convinced that star charts can predict my fate.

Likewise I do not pay attention to my suggested astrological matches or advice when it comes to love or personal success, as I simply believe that in these departments we are the true creators of our own destiny.

I do however pay attention to the bigger picture, to the hidden and to messages conveyed by the mysterious world. Whether this can be seen in the stars, in the moon, in the alignment of planets or whether it is infinitely something covertly perceived by our sixth sense - I find this information nevertheless vital.

As a scientist I am a logical being, but as a woman I am perceptive and intuitive, spiritual, creative and sensitive. Coincidence or not, those happen to actually be the main attributes of my sign, the sign of Cancer.

Recently an enigmatic Aquarius has entered my life through a series of intriguing coincidences. Trusting my perception, I can not help but feel that our meeting will most certainly impact my future in a prominent way. In my past I have come across people belonging to almost every astrological sign of the zodiac, yet I have never before met a Water Bearer.
I find this encounter furthermore infinitely significant for one other reason -  ever since I was a teenager, I have been fascinated by the rule of The Age Of Aquarius.

Just the very term itself rings so powerful in my ears and brings me back to my youth and the undying melodies from the movie musical Hair. After watching it I was left endlessly enticed and never forgot those very catching and poetic lines or the wonderful harmonies of "The Age Of Aquarius", composed by "The Fifth Dimension":

When the moon is in the Seventh House

And Jupiter aligns with Mars

Then peace will guide the planets

And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius...

I later learned that those lyrics are poetic license that took quite a liberty when it comes to the scarcity of the moon being in the Seventh House and the alignments of planets - nevertheless, it was after hearing these words sang to that unforgettable melody that my interest for the Age Of Aquarius was born.

Each astrological sign is linked to an Astrological Age - the interesting part is that no one really knows when an age begins or ends. It is suggested though that these ages are directed by the absolute cardinal cycle of our world, the so called Procession Of The Equinoxes, which can span a period of about 25 920 years. This stellar cycle is then divided into twelve astrological ages of the zodiac, meaning that each age is on average about 2150 years long.

Some astrologists believe that currently we are still in The Age Of The Pisces, an age that was suggested to have started during the Roman Empire, at the end of The Age Of Aries, a militant period in our past.
Others though think we have already entered The Age Of Aquarius. And eventually there are those who believe that this age will commence in 2012, coinciding with the end of the Mayan Calender, supporting the "end of the world" and cataclysmic "dooms day" prophecies.

What unifies all beliefs is the definition of this enticing age.
Aquarius is an eminently revolutionary sign, signifying renewal and knowledge. Sometimes called The Golden Age, it instigates a sense of spirituality and progress, a type of awakening of humankind. As Aquarius traditionally rules electricity, this age is defined by scientific discoveries, enlightenment and in many aspects a rebirth of our consciousness, bringing us into a more advanced age in time. Thus it is often linked to the New Age movement that is signified by emphasizing the link between mind, body and spirit.

Whether we are in the Age Of Aquarius or whether we are in a transition between ages, it is obvious that our world is marked by essential changes. The undying optimist and romantic within me likes to believe that we are moving towards an enlightened future. To me 2012 might end the world as we know it, but not by destruction of apocalyptic measures, but rather a transition that greets the dawn of the age of light.

Symbolically, I am hoping that the sudden presence of a beautiful and enticing Aquarius in my own life signifies a pre dawn of my own personal golden age.

Ashes In The Sky.

Even though I dislike being aboard an airplane, I still like to watch these sleek, sophisticated machines in the air above me. Particularly on a summers day, as I leisure in the afternoon sun, gazing up at the blue sky, while the silver objects move close to the speed of sound above the earth, painting the sky in white vapor. I often wonder where they are bound, as I envision the people aboard, wondering who they are and where they are headed.

Last Thursday, as I got up and opened my window, I saw an airliner moving silently above the sunrise. It was a clear, sunny morning and the white contrail against the deep blue was so smooth, yet so strong, as the belly of the craft reflected the rays of the first sun. I was so mesmerized by this sight that as it disappeared above me in the rooftop window, I ran into the living room, watching it reappear in my view, until I lost sight of it, as it moved fast in a southwestern direction. It was perhaps an transatlantic flight.

A few hours later, the airspace above Denmark was shut down, grounding all flights, simultaneously in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden, due to volcanic ash in the atmosphere. This shut down spread within a day or two to to the rest of Europe. That plane I watched in the morning was most likely one of the last ones in the air.

The Icelandic volcano has certainly caused havoc across Europe and even the world. Not just concerning the air transport, but in its turn affecting business and in the long run, even the economy.
And apparently it has the power to affect our summer.

The volcano in question is called Eyjafjallajökul. It is actually a name of a glacier that covers the active volcano as a cap. The volcano has been active since Ice age, with most recent eruptions on 20th of March and the later on April 15th, spewing a column of ash into the air, as much as 8,5km tall.
If the volcano eruption persist, and perhaps causes other, more powerful volcanoes nearby to erupt, the presence of ash, or rather sulfur dioxide can effect the weather and make for a much cooler summer.

In 1783, an eruption of another volcano on Iceland called Laki caused a massive destruction. During eight months boiling lava and toxic gases were spewed into the atmosphere and an estimated 20-25% of the population on Iceland died in the famine after the eruptions ceased.

The eruption however effected the entire northern hemisphere.
An estimated 120 million tons of sulfur dioxide were emitted, which caused a thick haze to spread across western Europe, resulting in many thousands of deaths throughout 1783 and the winter of 1784. The fog was so thick that boats stayed in port, unable to navigate, and the sun was described as "blood coloured". The meteorological impact of Laki resonated on, contributing significantly to several years of extreme weather in Europe; storms, hail, cold summers, extreme winters, all resulting in failed crops.

An expert interviewed on Danish news recently claimed that if the volcanic activity persists, perhaps causing other volcanoes nearby to erupt, our summer can be effected. We can experience plummeting temperatures and even snow.
I choose not to believe this as it seems a bit out there, if you know what I mean. After a record cold winter, to have an absent summer is simply unimaginable.

I am not sure what the eruption has in store for us, nor am I willing to contemplate that at this point. But the ashes in the sky made for one spectacular weekend sunset, as seen below.

Liquid Of Life.

Water. The single element vital in maintaining life. Even in space exploration, presence of water suggest presence of life.

Water is composed of three atoms; two Hydrogen atoms and one Oxygen atom, that are bound together by electrical charges (H2O). It can exist in three states; as gas, as a liquid and as a solid state, or ice.

This past Sunday, lot of our snow disappeared, even though the air was dry and the temperatures way below freezing. Intriguingly, a somewhat unusual process took place, called sublimation. This is a chemical process, that means a direct transformation of an element from solid to gas stage, without the liquid phase. Thus our ice (or snow) did not melt and did not enter the liquid phase. Instead it evaporated, turning into clouds or vapor, due to rare weather conditions, such as high, stormy winds and very dry air, plus very low temperatures.

As for snow or ice and its corresponding liquid state, the vital water, most of us living in the western world do not even think twice about the luxury of it being dispensed from a tap in our homes. Running clean water is a rarity in a large part of the world. Living in Scandinavia, additionally, the water pouring out of my tap is not just clean and fresh, but also perfectly safe for drinking.

Here are some interesting facts about this vital liquid of life:

• Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface.

• Roughly 70% of an adult’s body is made up of water.

• The overall amount of water on our planet has remained the same for two billion years.

• Oceans hold 97% of surface water, glaciers and polar ice caps 2.4%, and other land surface water such as rivers, lakes and ponds 0.6%.

• Water regulates the earth's temperature.

• Each day the sun evaporates a trillion tons of water.

• A person can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water.

• Your drinking water may be fluoridated to help prevent dental cavities.

• Much more fresh water is stored under the ground in aquifers than on the earth’s surface.

• Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water (or about 0.007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use.

• Bottled water can be up to 1000 times more expensive than tap water and it may not be as safe.

• Today, at least 400 million people live in regions with severe water shortages.

The Earth Hour.

Today, at 8:30PM I am turning of the light and will enjoy the darkness, or I guess, semidarkness, for 60 minutes. This in order to join the Earth Hour movement. One billion people, 3000 cities, 84 countries are joining in one of the biggest global campaigns ever. In only 3 years, it has grown to unite the world and has managed effectively to raise the consciousness of ordinary people, concerning our environment. A small way to contribute, yet so very profound and effective.

Here in Denmark in this short period of time “Earth Hour” has become one of the most publicized events on this day in March. Restaurants, bars, hotels and numerous companies and firms are all taking part in this universal movement that stretches from London to Beijing, from New York to Cape Town. Like a chain reaction, starting in Australia, it spreads all over the world, from the east across to the west.

I love the sentiment behind this more than I can ever adequately describe in words. I like the feeling of being part of something this immense and extraordinary, where participation is so simple and effortless, yet so very poignant. To turn of the artificial light for 60 minutes, while lighting the candles and enjoying an hour of solitude and reflection appeals to me in more ways than one.