"Worst Nightmare: Supernatural Assault"

SoulSmack.com

Your Worst Nightmare: Supernatural Assault (SoulSmack)

This documentary covers a common experience that is almost never spoken of -- sleep paralysis and supernatural assault.

One in five will experience this discomfiting to terrifying phenomenon. Victims wake to find they are fully alert yet unable to move or speak. Many experience frightening visions of lower astral being, entities, ghosts, demons, shadows, or an old woman known as "The Hag."

For others there is simply the unmistakable presence of evil. In extreme cases, these potentially supernatural attacks can occur for decades. Overwhelmed, exhausted, and entirely alone, victims may lead shattered lives dominated by fear and social stigma, ridicule, or psychologizing.

Those who seek medical advice are often misdiagnosed and labeled psychotic or schizophrenic. "Your Worst Nightmare: Supernatural Assault" explores the common yet greatly misunderstood phenomenon of sleep and the possibility of sleep paralysis.

This groundbreaking documentary contains interviews with actual victims, consults with experts, and offers advice on how to live with what might be your worst nightmare.

"Master of the Divine Eye" (Anuruddha)

Hellmuth Hecker (Dhammikaweb.com), Wisdom Quarterly

Anuruddha Master of the Divine Eye
The Buddha’s father, King Suddhodana, had a brother who had five children. His name was Prince Amitodana. Among those was Ananda, who later became the Buddha’s faithful attendant who with his super memory preserved the sutras, and Mahanama, heir to the Sakyan throne. A third brother was Anuruddha.

Among those who were pre-eminent in a particular skill was Ven. Anuruddha. He was praised by the Buddha for being "foremost in developing the divine eye." The divine eye (dibba-cakkhu) is the ability to see beyond the range of the physical eye.

In Anuruddha’s case it extended to a thousandfold world system, which might perhaps be [the equivalent of] a galaxy in modern astronomy. This faculty can be obtained by one who has reached the fourth meditative absorption (jhāna) who then takes this [foundation in extreme concentration] as the basis for further development as described in The Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga).

The divine eye is of a mundane or worldly character (the world being the world system not merely this planet). It can be obtained by an unliberated, unenlightened worldling (puthujjana) as well as by those on the four stages of emancipation. Anuruddha attained it before he became fully enlightened. Read (Download)

• Arya Sangha -eBooks
• English Discussions -eBooks
• Karma -eBooks
• Sutra -eBooks

Paranormal Conferences

SoCalParaCon.com

Ghosts and restless spirits of the dead (pretas) are a common feature of Buddhism. Buddhism, Halloween, and Ghosts

For one weekend a year, the curtain (or veil) between this life and the next lifts. The dead rise. Senses dance on the stage of the unknown as we gather together in celebration of curiosity and all things paranormal. Friday-Saturday: Join two death-defying days of exciting lectures and workshops from leaders in the field of paranormal investigation.

• SoCal Paranormal Convention
  
• Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
• 506 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071
• (213) 612-1565
• Sept. 9, 2011 and Sept. 10, 2011
• Tickets

There will be appearances by paranormal TV/radio/Internet personalities, food, shopping, entertainment, and more. This event is for everyone from enthusiasts to investigators to Halloween, horror, goth, fantasy, and sci-fi fans. Anyone interested in the macabre side of life (and beyond) will have a great time at Para-Con!

Saturday Night: Gather under the glowing lights of the big top for a one of a kind evening of dance, ghoulish delights, and fantasy freak shows at the Carnivale of the Dead Costume Ball, presented by the So Cal Para-Con. Mingle with celebrity guests, enjoy roving circus acts and entertainment that will tingle the senses. After the convention, there is a special Ghost Hunt with celebrities and guest speakers!

• Guest Speakers include Loyd Auerbach (author), Thomas Durant (occult specialist), Stefan Brigati (A&E, author), Marie D. Jones (author, TV), Scott Gruenwald (Internet personality), AJ Barrera and the "From Beyond" Telemundo cast, the creators of A&E Biography's "My Ghost Story," and others.

Upcoming Events
The following is a list of upcoming conventions, symposiums, presentations, festivals, and conferences. It is frequently updated, so check back often. Report events.

Body Mind Spirit Expo
September 24 – 25, 2011
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Conscious Life Expo
September 30 – October 2, 2011
Los Angeles, California, USA

Official Star Trek Convention
September 30 – October 2, 2011
Chicago, Illinois, USA

UFO Territory Conference
October, 2011
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Salute to Supernatural
October 7 – 9, 2011
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Body Mind Spirit Expo
October 8 – 9, 2011
San Diego, California, USA

Central Texas Paranormal Convention
October 8 – 9, 2011
Austin, Texas, USA

50 Years of Close Encounters
October 15 – 16, 2011
Ponterfract, Wakefield, UK

Salute to Supernatural
October 21 – 23, 2011
Chicago, Illinois, USA

CanAm ParaFest
October 28 – 29, 2011
Sarnia, Ontario, Canada

Body Mind Spirit Expo
November 5 – 6, 2011
Portland, Oregon, USA

Crystal Skulls Mysteries Gateway
November 11 – 13, 2011
Los Angeles, California, USA

Pythagoras Conference 2011
November 11 – 13, 2011
Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Official Stargate Convention
November 18 – 20, 2011
Los Angeles, California, USA

Official Farscape Convention
November 18 – 20, 2011
Los Angeles, California, USA

Conscious Life Expo
February 10 – 12, 2012
Los Angeles, California, USA

International UFO Congress
February 21 – 26, 2012
Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

Salute to Supernatural
March 2 – 4, 2012
Burbank, California, USA

Ozarks UFO Conference
April 13 – 15, 2012
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, USA

Stargate Convention
April 27 – 29, 2012
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Sacred Yantra Temple Tattoos ("sak yant")

The all faiths yantra (lotus.org)

Sacred (sak) geometry (yant or yantra) tattooing refers to protective symbols embedded in the skin in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. It is the ancient magical practice of using sacred geometry along with Buddhist, Brahminical (proto-Hindu), and animist imagery as well as magical incantations (kata or mantras), written in Khom (an ancient script used to write Pali-Sanskrit or Prakrit, which does not have a unique script).

Thai Buddhist monk receiving sak yant or sacred tattoos (peaceloveandtea/devishakti)

Sacred geometry tattoos are made by Buddhist monks, brahmins, and Ruesi ascetics. Where they are made is called a Samnak Sak Yant (if a temple or a large establishment) or Dtamnak (if a smaller establishment with one master). Sak-yant.com presents a compendium of knowledge, information, and galleries about Thai Buddhist/animist temple tattoos, Saiyasart (Thai occultism), Buddha magic, kata (mantras), and sacred magic amulets. More

• PHOTOS: Wat Bhang Phra tattoo festival (demotix)
• Tattoosday: American blog tattoos
  
• Why are we here? Physics answers (MSNBC)
  
  It remains one of the largest unexplained mysteries of the universe, but particle physicists are gaining more confidence in a result from an atom smashing experiment that could be a step toward providing an answer. We exist because the universe is full of matter and not the opposite, so-called antimatter. When the Big Bang occurred, equal parts of both should have been created and immediately annihilated each other, leaving nothing leftover to build the stars, planets, or us.
• Are tumors key to making zombies?
• Guide to our nearest cosmic neighbors
• Black hole divulges its vital statistics
• Cyborgs already exist: super suit for strength
• UFOs over Washington (Robert M. Stanley)