Thank-you for these interesting postings on a topic that concerns so many of us.
Below are some edited highlights of a newsletter from Mitch Battros,
U.S. therapist and producer of "Earth Changes TV" plus some
experiences of my own. First, however I would like to explain the
background to this communication, especially for the benefit of those
who might be new to what has become known as the "Ascension" story.

A related prophecy of Native American origin is known as "Phoenix
Rising" (see below my own experience with a group of Native
Americans - 3 years before hearing of "Phoenix Rising"). I would
really recommend anyone interested in Earth Changes to read the
moving real-life story "Phoenix Rising: No-Eyes' Vision of the
Changes to Come"
http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1878901621/sunflowerheal-21
in which Mary Summer Rain describes a series of mystical meetings
with a (real-world) blind old Native American grandmother, who took
her on an astral travel journey to the future to see the evolving
picture of rising violent crime, pollution, climate change etc which
has already begun to come true.

The background to the Battros newsletter and to "Earth Changes TV" is
a growing ideation, around the world, that the human race might be
coming to the "end of an era". The roots of this ideology are many
and varied, including a prophesy by the ancient but technologically
advanced Mayan civilisation that the current era of the human race
will end in 2012 and that a new era - "The World of the Fifth Sun"
will follow.
see "The Mayan Calendar and End-time Visions for 2012"
http://www.cheal.org/message/578

Certainly, sunrise on December 21, 2012 will be very special - the
first time in 26,000 years that the Sun rises to conjunct the
intersection of the Milky Way and the plane of the ecliptic.

HARMONIC CONVERGENCE
-----------------------
An important counter-balance to the growing tide of apocalyptic
or "heaven coming to earth" visions which has emerged since 1987 (a
special astrological date termed the "Harmonic Convergence" see
http://www.thewildrose.net/harmonic_convergence.html) is the
book "End-time visions: The Road to Armageddon?"
http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568581041/sunflowerheal-21
In "End-time visions", researcher Abanes draws together a fairly
convincing case stating that End-time prophecies have been around
throughout recorded history, and they have almost always been very
wide of the mark.

Against this historical record of unduly pessimistic imaginative
speculation, can be set the fact that the human race has however, in
recent years, entered "uncharted waters" in terms of its effect on
the planet, especially things like pollution and depletion of the
ozone layer.

Also there is the quite phenomenal escalation of people having all
kinds of psychic experiences, visions and "channelings" since 1987.
Many of these psychic experiences have had a theme that there is soon
to be some kind of big "shift" or transformation in the world as we
know it and that we need to prepare for what is going to happen.

MY OWN VISIONARY EXPERIENCE
-------------------------------
As of the summer solstice June 2004 I had to add myself to this
escalating list of people having strange and apparently prophetic
experiences of a time of huge challenge and transformation for us
all. While visiting an ancient sacred area of Scotland for the Sacred
Connections solstice celebration I led a "Shamanic journeying"
experience for a group of people which turned out to be the most
amazing drummed journey that I have ever done - quite unlike any
other previous experience. The essence of what unfolded was the theme
that there are indeed going to be some rather natural big disasters
in the years ahead, for which we will need some preparations
(connection, personal transformation and divine guidance).

A few months later, to my amazement, at the Autumn equinox in that
same Scottish sacred location, I found myself in a series of
workshops and rituals in a huge tipi with a group of Lakota Sioux who
had come over from North America in response to an astral travel
shamanic journey around the earth in which they saw this Scottish
megalithic site, and a number of others around the world, and were
informed that rituals were needed to re-open ancient portals between
the earth and spirit dimensions where our stone-age ancestors knew
that communication and energy-exchange had to take place in order to
ensure harmony and balance between the physical and metaphysical dimensions and
to progress harmonious evolution of the earth and the human race.

Anyway, having hopefully prepared the ground somewhat, here are some
edited highlights of the newsletter, judge the information for
yourself and draw you own conclusions - or stay open-minded!...

----------from Mitch Battros' newsletter---------------
If you missed my interview with Ian Lungold, you may wish to listen
to it. You can find our up close and personal interview on the ECTV's
www.earthchangestv.com/audioarchives.php page.

I believe what makes this interview special, is Ian's candid honesty
of how he has experienced what the Mayan Calendar describes as "The
3rd Night". It is a time of "challenge" or "testing" of our current
realities. It is a time of "choice". It is a time of developing
our "intuition". Can we forge ahead maintaining a keen balance
of "integrity", or will we fall to ego, fear, conformity, sameness,
and stagnation.

In our interview Ian tells of how he "involuntarily" was forced to
find his truth, to "walk the walk" of what he has been teaching over
the last decade. He went from a beautiful home in Sedona, Arizona to
a broken down RV which lay dead on remote highway in Utah. He tells
of the first moments of panic, fear, anger and hopelessness, to which
some weeks later turns into an adventure bringing him back to what his Mayan
teachings had been telling him all along. "We are in the 3rd Night, it is a time
of testing, it is a time of choice". Ian learns first hand, it is time to
surrender to our higher selves. Watch out for holding on to old ideas, to trying
to hold together what is familiar, known, comfortable. The times we are entering
will be unsettling for most. It is those who can flow with change, which will
embrace "the time of transition".

Ian Lungold taps into what is fast becoming an acceptance and
implication of Quantum Physics. In Ian's words "It's the greatest
secret (http://www.mayanmajix.com/3nn08_02_04.html)".

"All control of your attention, or blocks to your personal potential
caused by memories, denials or agreements exist only in the past or
the future; in other words, in your Mind. In the present there is no
Mind, only Consciousness. And so there are literally no limits to
your abilities in the absolute present."

One reason I am so attached to the meaning of the "3rd Night" and
with Ian's personal story, is because I think most of us will need "a
push" to grasp what is underway. This is why I have always
stated "the earth changes that are upon us, is not an indication of
punishment, or of something we are doing wrong. It is a motivator, an
external indicator of change. It is a very natural occurrence the
Earth has seen many times before, and perhaps more importantly, it
is "exactly" what our ancestors have been telling us all along." So
the message is.... be aware and prepared! Change is among us, it is
each individual's choice to embrace, or to fear. You are empowered to
direct your destiny.

How the Sun Plays a Key Role
----------------------------
[At http://www.earthchangestv.com], I have outlined how [electro]
magnetics plays a key role in our evolution. Here again by popular
demand, my intuitive notion and backed by hard scientific data, of
what the "3rd Night" might "feel" like to many of us.

Stanford University confirms what many of us had already suspected.
Solar activity has an effect on animals. And if it has an effect on
animals, it certainly has an effect on humans.

As there is a magnetic field which surrounds the Earth, there is a
magnetic field which surrounds
all living things. In the field of acupuncture, we view the body as a
symbiotic unit connected to the environment, and some would say the
universe. When the body is out of harmony, it manifest as illness,
both physical and mental. There are energy points which run
throughout our human/animal magnetic grid. We call them "meridians".
Each meridian represents a part of the body and mind. As a
practitioner, we analyze the symptoms and correlate with particular energy
points. Needles, magnets, seeds or electricity is then placed on a particular
meridian to bring balance (or harmony) back to patient's magnetic grid. The
energy field we work with is most commonly known as "Chi" (China). It is also
known as Ki (Japan), or Prana (India), or Gaia (Mayan). But my favorite comes
from the movie Star Wars. Obi-Wan Kenobi simply calls it the "Force".

So no, it is not your imagination if you feel "weird" just before,
during, and shortly after a geomagnetic storm caused by solar flares,
cme's (coronal mass ejection), and various charged particles emitted
from the Sun. Often symptoms which are reported are anxiety,
depression, fatigue, confusion, and irritability. However, on
occasion I will receive reports of people feeling wonderful and full
of energy and inspired. At this time, I am not sure why such varied
feelings/emotions occur, but my first guess would be to factor in
each persons individual chemistry. As soon as I know more, I will
be glad to share it with everyone. Perhaps someday, just like Obi-Wan
Kenobi we too will be able to channel the force for good and positive
ways.

----------end of extract from Battros' newsletter---------------


Some Useful Weblinks
-----------------------
"Terror! - Physiology and Control":
http://www.stress-counselling.co.uk/management/terror.htm

"Disaster Survival Tips":
http://www.earthchangestv.com/survival/index.php

"Journey of Souls" and the "Lightworker" paradigm:
http://www.cheal.org/message/613

I hope that all this talk of big changes is not too alarming or
depressing...

Historical facts plus the wisdom of the sages teach us that change is
only good or bad if you look at a narrow window of time. For example
the Great Fire of London and the great European epidemics of "The
Black death" opened the doors to a new era of public health and
safety. A definite "up" side to the "Ascension" visions is that they
are partly based on a belief that we have (or rather "are") immortal
souls that will go on for all eternity having a rich variety of
experiences.

So, either "Blessings to your immortal soul!" or "Have a great
weekend" - whichever is most real for you right now!

Mike
http://www.sunflower-health.com