Grey School Newspaper 17

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ALSO IN
THIS ISSUE:
Headmaster Oberon’s
Battle with Cancer
The Origins of
the Tarot

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

2

ISSUE 17

Whispering Grey Matters
SEPTEMBER 2008

COSMOLOGY SPECIAL

STAFF
FACULTY ADVISORS
Jymi X/0, Moonwriter
EDITOR in CHIEF: Laneth
COPY EDITOR: silverlocke
GSW Desk
Editor: FrogsDancing
Writer: Starwynd Panther
NEWS
Editor: Belenus
Writers: Sapphire Soleil, Silverlocke, Gero
OPINIONS
Editor: Sapphire Soleil
Writer: Areeya
WIZARDING
Section Editor: Laneth (Temp)
Writers: Jymi X/0, Eilwen
SCIENCE
Editor: Jymi
Writers: Moonwriter, Lotus
ARTS & CULTURE
Editor: Starwynd Panther
Writers: Artemis, Lotus, Silverlocke, Xyaida
FOOD
Editor: Laneth (Temp)
Writers: Artemis, Eilwen
PERMISSIONS & ACQUISITIONS:
FrogsDancing
PUBLISHING DEPT
Lead: Jymi X/0
Assisted by Laneth and the Zombie Horde
CONTRIBUTORS: Talin, Xander Gael
The beautiful cover photo of the Moon
was taken by Talin.

Background: Serephina

CoNTENTS
Space: The Primal Frontier ............................... 3
StarStuff (Interview with Prof. Moonwriter) .......... 4
Department Focus: COSMOLOGY .................. 5-7
The Grand Society of Cosmology ...................... 8
Gazing into the September Night Sky ................ 9
Illustration: “Nyx” ............................................. 9
Headmaster Oberon Battles Cancer ............ 10-15
A Sort of Sorting Hat Sure to Surprise ................. 16
Grey School’s Astrological Outlook ................... 17
The Age of Aquarius .................................... 18
Magickal Library Could Disappear ..................... 19
Life on Mars ................................................. 20
The Sun’s Taking a Vacation ........................ 21
I Believe: SC’s New License Plate Option ........... 22
Starpeople .................................................... 23
Close Encounter of the Comet Kind ................ 24
Illustration: “Busy Sky“ ................................ 24
Using the Planisphere .................................... 25
The Mysteries of Gravity ............................ 26-27
Illustration: “As So Above” ............................ 27
The Shape of Space ..................................... 28
Moon on the Mind ............................................ 29
Celestial Foods ............................................... 30
GAMES: Word Find, Crossword ................... 31-33
Tarot: Cosmology in the Cards .................... 34-35
Origins of the Tarot .................................. 36-37
REVIEW: Astronomy Hacks ........................ 38-39
Hosting a Star Party ..................................... 39
Illustration: “Constellation” ............................... 40
REVIEW: Wall-E ............................................ 41
WGM Favorites: Cosmology Entertainment ... 42-43
Illustration: “Spacetime” .................................. 44

Y

Whispering Grey Matters is a quarterly newsletter produced by and for
the students and faculty of The Grey
School of Wizardry (www.greyschool.
com). All contents herein are © 2008
Grey School, except where otherwise
noted. Copyrights revert to original
authors and artists upon publication.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

Space: The Primal Frontier
by Jymi X/0

Whispering Grey Matters usually publishes four times
per year, on the Solstices and Equinoxes. We decided that’s not enough...welcome to the first of many
WGM Special Editions! And what better place to start
than the origin of everything we know: the Universe?
This issue focuses on all things Cosmology. We’ll be
taking you to the far reaches of outer space...and
inner space.
Speaking of interstellar travel, I wish the space program would speed up. I want my moon condo!
There are people who say that we shouldn’t be spending money on space exploration until we’ve solved
our problems here on Earth. It’s a good argument
-- if we can’t take care of one planet and its inhabitants, what do we think we’re going to do with (or to)
a whole universe full of them?
But we came from the stars in the first place. They’re
exploding all the time, spewing space dust throughout the cosmos. At some point in the distant past
(distant to us, anyway), infinitesimally small gravitational forces between these sub-microscopic particles attracted them to one another, forming atoms...
molecules...glops...talk show hosts...and finally, the
Sun, planets, moons, asteroids and comets in our
own solar system.
Of course, that’s the short version of the story. You
should see the director’s cut.
The point is that Earth and space are connected.
Knowing more about what’s up there can help us improve our situation down here. Space technology has
many uses on the ground: super-lightweight insulation material, originally designed to protect space
craft, works well as blankets for hospitals and emergency response teams (and campers!). Techniques
used to keep the astronauts’ food fresh in space are
also improving and prolonging the food supplies on
Earth. NASA’s infrared technology helped archaeologists decipher the Dead Sea Scrolls by revealing text
that no naked eye or microscope would have been
able to find.

Improving lives is a double-edged sword. If birth
rates are up and everyone’s living longer, space travel
might soon become a necessity, rather than an academic luxury. Regardless of how much we do to protect and preserve our home planet (and we should!),
population is still growing exponentially. Sociologists
predict that it could reach 9 billion by 2500ce. If it
continues to grow, there won’t be enough room for
all of us to live healthy lives here. I hope we’ll be able
to find other habitable planets -- and be able to take
proper care of them.
Since we came from the stars to begin with, it’ll be
kind of like moving back home...under the condition
that we keep our room clean and do our own laundry
this time.

“We shall not cease from exploration
and the end of all our exploring
will be to arrive where we started
and know the place for the first time.”
— T. S. Eliott

For a whole list of fascinating articles about space
technology’s applications on Earth, visit the NASA
archive: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/nasalife_features-noblinds_archive_1.html
And be sure to check out the flash presentation here:
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasacity/index.
htm
Kimball, John W. “Human Population Growth”. Kimball’s Biology
Pages. 23 September, 2007. Accessed 15 July, 2008. <http://
users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Populations.
html>
“NASA Helps Wipe Away Worries About Germs.” NASA. 20
September, 2007. Accessed 15 July, 2008. <http://www.nasa.
gov/vision/earth/technologies/germ_wipe.html>
“Seeing Into the Past.” NASA. 13 December, 2005. Accessed 15
July, 2008. <http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/technologies/
scrolls.html>
“A Shining Example of Space Benefits.” NASA. 2006. Accessed
14 July, 2008. <http://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/silver_insulation.html>

Literal
Magic
Photo: Jymi X/0

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

Star Stuff

By Starwynd Panther

I climbed the stone steps to the astronomy tower and lingered quietly in the doorway.
Dean Moonwriter stood on the parapet, her hands stretched out to flickering lights. I shifted, making a small
noise, and the lights vanished. The Dean turned around.
“Stearies,” she said, noting my quizzical expression. “Kind of a cross between a star and a mischievous faerie.
Skittish little things, but very helpful if you can appease them. Enough about that. You’re here for the interview, right?” I nodded. She gestured for me to sit in a cushy chair and took a seat herself. I pulled out my
notebook and started right in.
SWP: How would you define Cosmology?
MW: Cosmology is the study of the heavens.
SWP: How would you define Metaphysics?
MW: I wouldn’t. Does that sound argumentative? (grins) The word was appended to the department title
when the school started, but we really don’t need it.
SWP: How does Cosmology come to play a part in magickal studies and where does Astrology fit in?
MW: The Department of Cosmology features three broad categories of celestial study. First, there’s astronomy. As far as I’m concerned, every Wizard worth his or her salt should have a basic knowledge of the heavens, and be able to find his or her way around the night sky. It seems absolutely seminal to magickal practice
to have that knowledge of what’s constantly rolling by overhead, in the greatest natural cycle of them all. The
celestial sphere is, after all, where all life and energy derive from—and that’s true whether one is growing
herbs, perfecting spellwork, or studying the bardic arts.
The second aspect of Cosmology is the study of cosmological magicks. This includes everything from planetary correspondences to dedicated spellwork, patrons, star journeys, celestial altars, heavenly talismans, and
more.
Last, but not least, is the third aspect of the Cosmo department: the study of astrology. I think all Wizards
should probably have at least a glimmering of how astrology works, because it affects us all. Would you like a
piece of breaking news?
SWP: Definitely.
MW: I am in the process of working with Profs. Stonetalker, Estara, and Belenus (one of the newest teaching additions to the Dept. of Cosmology!), to develop a rich, fully-fleshed astrology curriculum. The goal is to
create a dedicated Major and Minor in astrology. The idea was spawned by student discussions, which is proof
that we teachers try to listen to what our students want. Right now, we have more than 30 classes on that
list. The three astrology professors all have different approaches to the discipline, which makes it extra cool.
SWP: That sounds wonderful! What else can we expect as the Violet Department develops and expands?
MW: The biggest thing on the horizon is the astrology curriculum, so watch for details in the Office of Cosmology.
I also hope to get more basic astronomy classes up soon—including a 300-level Naked Eye Astronomy class.
SWP: When did you first develop an interest in Cosmology?
MW: I’ve watched the stars all my life. We Oregonians are lucky to have some of the world’s darkest skies,
and I’ve grown up thinking the stars belonged to me. I’m also strongly Lunar-attuned; my two daughters,
my mother, and I each wear a crescent Moon tattoo on one arm. And I’ve studied astronomy as well-- more
than a year of college-level astronomy and an equal dose of physics. Plus, as a nurse, I spent 15 years doing
human research for NASA-sponsored grants, working with the Space Shuttle teams. So I come at cosmology
from many different vantages.
SWP: How can the information gathered here be used in conjunction with other Departments?
MW: Ah, where to start? The celestial sphere stretches overhead like a magick carpet. Its beauty inspires us.
Its gravitational tides and planetary influences affect us. It fills us with awe, endless possibility, and maybe
a bit of healthy fear. If you’re working with magickal energy, it’s coming to you from the heavens. If you’re
looking at the stars, you’re looking at light that left those stars millions of years ago, which means you’re
actually looking back in time. Just the fact that we’re here, living and breathing, is thanks to the stars. As
my favorite astronomer, Carl Sagan, points out, every element that forms the Earth and her inhabitants was
created by the remnants of stellar life and death, by stars that went supernova and released their elemental
contents into space, to soar through the galaxy and rain down on distant planets, like Earth. As Sagan says,
“We’re all made of star stuff.”

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Cosmology Major
A Major in Cosmology is posted on the Dean of Students forum—visit there and
take a look. The Major is a “generalist” Major, and includes content in
Astronomical Sciences, Astromancy (celestial divination), General Studies
(including cosmological magicks), and a set of required classes.
I am also thrilled to announce that with the help of Profs. Stonetalker, Estara,
and Belenus, we are in the process of developing a comprehensive astrology
section within the Dept. of Cosmology. This will include a list of more than two
dozen astrology classes, as well as a Major and Minor in astrology. Stay tuned—and watch the Office of
Cosmology—for more information on this exciting development!

List of Current Cosmology Classes
Astrology: Introduction to Popular Signs
L1, 2c
This class is designed to teach you about astrological signs. It will introduce you to these signs through
four different sorts of astrology; Chinese, Celtic, Medicine Wheel, and Western. It will cover the different signs in these forms of astrology and brief characteristics of each. Even though this class does
touch upon some aspects of Western Astrology, it is meant to be more of an overview of astrological
signs in general and not an introduction to interpreting Western Astrology signs. Other classes will go
into specific interpretations of the facets of Western Astrology.
Cosmology Internship 101: Introductory Astronomy
L1, 2c
This class is available to students within reasonable driving distance of Oregon’s Portland metropolitan
area. Activities are focused on teaching the student to find their way around the night sky and to recognize and track celestial objects.
Introduction to Cosmology
L1, 2c
The great bowl of the night sky—the Celestial Sphere—that surrounds our tiny world has always been a
subject of magickal and Wizardly studies. In this Class we will study the mysteries of the Cosmos, and
the ultimate questions: Where did we come from? And where are we going? In this class you'll receive
a brief overview of the many facets of Cosmology, including scientific notation, the big bang, and questions of whether or not we're alone in the Multiverse. You’ll also consider the other aspects of
Naked Eye Astronomy 101
L1, 3c
Since the dawn of time, humans have
gazed at the night sky. “Naked eye astronomy” refers to observations of the
heavens that are conducted without
the use of a telescope or other magnifying lenses. In this class, you’ll learn
the basics of watching the cosmos,
and will think about how to incorporate your observations into your
magickal life.
The Solar System
L1, 2c
Eight planets revolve around a medium-size yellow star we call the Sun.
Together, the Sun, planets, dwarf
planets, moons, comets, asteroids,
meteorites, and radiation fields make
up our Solar System. The “Third Rock
from the Sun” is our home: Mother
Earth. In this Class we will explore our Solar System from the Sun to its outermost fringes. This is a
fun class where you will learn to make astronomical instruments for tracking the motions of the sun
and stars.

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Western Astrology 101
L1, 2c
Most of us at one time or another have picked up a paper or magazine and read what they astrology or
horoscope page tells us about our sign. This class is designed to be an introduction to Western Astrology and how it is used. It is meant to be more of an overview Western Astrology in general and does
not delve into interpreting a birth chart. Other classes will go into specific instructions as to how to cast
and interpret a natal birth chart, as the information is too complex for just one class.
Moon 201: The Science
L2, 3c
The moon is the largest, brightest object in the night sky. In this class, you’ll study the science of
Earth’s only natural satellite, learning fun facts and little-known trivia as you go. You’ll also learn about
the Apollo 11 moon landing, and will hear the voice of the first man on the moon. This class is a prerequisite for “Moon 201- The Magick.” Note: This class will require you to rent and watch the film,
Apollo 13. Many people own this film, and it is quite easy to find in video rental stores.
The History of Astronomy
L2, 2c
Astronomy is one of our oldest sciences. It dates back to the first people who gazed at the sky and
wondered about the heavens. This class will take a panoramic view of astronomy from its earliest beginnings to its current issues. We will investigate some of the discoveries that have been important in
the development of human civilization, and we will touch lightly on some of the great people who have
shaped the world of Astronomy.
The Stars and Constellations
L2, 2c
On a clear moonless night, we can see 2000-3000 stars. From the earliest times, these have been
grouped into pictures called constellations (“stars together”). Many of these have myths and stories associated with them, which we will learn in this class.
Western Astrology 202: Elements
L2, 2c
Western Astrology 202 is the second lesson in the Astrology course here at Grey School. It is designed
to teach you to understand astrological elements, including their appropriate correlations in daily life.
It will introduce you to each element separately so you have a better understanding of the elemental
forces. It will look at how the elements can be recognized and used in our mundane as well as magickal lives. By the end of the class you should be able to understand the characteristics of the elements of
fire, earth, air and water. You should have committed to memory which signs belong to what element,
which signs belong to what quadruplicity, and which signs are masculine or feminine. You should know
which planets rule which signs. And hopefully you will begin to see not only the similarities in the elements but also the way the quadruplicities influence them, making each sign totally unique
Archeoastronomy 301
L3, 3c
Archaeoastronomy is the study of the astronomical practices, celestial lore, mythologies, religions,
and world-views of all ancient cultures. In this class, you will survey several of the most well-known
archaeoastronomical monuments in the world, including the Great Pyramid of Giza, Stonehenge,
Newgrange, Chichén-Itzá, and Chaco Canyon.
Planets 301: The Terrestrials
L3, 2c
Which of the planets reaches a sunny daytime temperature of more than 400 degrees Celsius? On
which planet could you experience a rainstorm of sulfuric acid? What planet would you visit to climb
the solar system’s largest volcano? Find the answers to these questions and more in this class, as we
explore the terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

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Star Stories Around the World
L4, 3c
You’re already familiar with the modern constellations and the stories that go with them. These derive primarily from Greek/Roman culture. This class explores other cultures’ stories about the stars,
constellations, the Moon, the Milky Way, and other celestial features. You will need a clear view of the
night sky for this class, so urban Wizards will need to travel; and you will need access to a good library
for research.
Planetary Magick 501: Fixed Stars and Lunar Mansion
L5, 3c
Building on concepts learned in Planetary Magick 401, we will learn how to use the relationships of the
Planets to decanates, fixed stars, and the Mansions of the Moon to further hone our astrological spellwork.
Farseeing Eye 601: First Light
L6, 2c
All wizards are “seers,” and for hundreds of years, wizards have used telescopes to peer into and scry
the heavens. In this class, we’ll explore the nature of light, consider some of the world’s greatest telescopes, and ponder what we can learn from looking into the celestial sphere… and beyond. At the center of these investigations comes First Light, a wonderful book that takes us into the world of the great
telescopes and the people who have devoted their lives to exploring the stars.
Introduction to Soul Signs
L6, 2c
This class takes a look at elemental personalities, sometimes called Soul Signs. Unlike astrology, Soul
Signs cannot be calculated, nor can they be determined by casting a birth chart from any discipline.
Soul Signs are essential elements of our being. Our Sun Sign and our personality changes from incarnation to incarnation, but it is believed that our souls have a definite theme that stays with us throughout all our lifetimes. This class examines the different types of Soul Signs as described in the book of
the same name by Rosemary Altea. It teaches the student how to assess his or her own Soul Sign,
and how to determine the Soul Signs of others. Throughout the lessons we are going to create fictional
characters representing some of the different soul signs. The final exam will be to write a short story or
play around those characters. There is an alternative final essay for those who do not care for creative
writing. The student need not be proficient at astrology, but a working knowledge of the signs and the
elements is necessary.
Literature 708: Cosmic Tales
L7, 2c
Science fiction imagines the future, especially regarding space exploration. Cosmic Tales: Adventures
in Sol System edited by T.K.F. Weisskopf is an anthology of short stories, plus a couple of nonfiction articles about the science behind the fiction. These primarily relate near-future events using known technology or close derivatives, set within our own solar system. Thus the anthology invites Violet Wizards
to think about current and future activities in near space, near time.

Cosmology Internship
For those students who live around the Portland,
Oregon area, you may sign up for the Internship in
Cosmology, and study the stars with Prof. Moonwriter.
Internships are fully credited GSW classes in which
much of the work is completed in person, with a GSW
faculty member and possibly with other local students
as well. In the Cosmology Internship, you’ll study basic
aspects of astrology and will also take part in
starwatching sessions to help you navigate the night
sky. This internship may, in time, be offered in other
parts of the USA and in other countries.

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THE GRAND SOCIETY
of COSMOLOGY
Grand Society of Cosmology

Photo of Saturn by Talin

The Grand Society of Cosmology is the oldest award in the Grey School, dating back to February 2005. The Society is devoted to honoring those who seek to understand the natural order
of the Multiverse. Society members have proven their curiosity in all things Cosmological and
have become resources for those who aspire to membership.
The GSC is probably the most challenging award offered by the GSW. The current first degree
requirements are:
1. Complete (and pass) any three classes in the Dept. of Cosmology, one of which must be

the Level 1 class, “Naked Eye Astronomy 101.”

2. Complete fieldwork by doing and reporting on one of the following: (Note: The choice must
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

be pre-approved by the Dean of the Dept. of Cosmology.)
Take part in a Star Party or observational event with a local school, science museum,
observatory, etc.
Visit an observatory and use the telescope to view the Heavens.
Visit a planetarium and see a show or presentation.
Take part in a model or amateur rocket launch, as an observer or participant.
Visit a local or national air and space museum.
Complete at least one in-person meeting as part of an astronomy internship through
the Grey School.
Complete a different project, to be agreed upon by the candidate and the Dept. Dean.

3. Pass a “StarQuest,” to be assigned by the Department dean after 1 and 2 are completed.

Qualified students will earn the title “Cosmologist of the First Degree.”
Those students and faculty who have completed this rank include Dark Eagle, Grey Panther,
Prof. Moonwriter, and Silverraven. Silverraven is available as a Cosmology tutor; contact him
through the Cosmology forum.

Don’t forget to visit the Grey School Office of Cosmology at
http://www.greyschool.info/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewforum&f=70
You’ll find resources, student work, Majors and Minors, and a monthly guide to the night sky.

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Gazing
into the September Night Sky
By Prof. Moonwriter, Acting Dean of Cosmology

Throughout the month… Jupiter
is low in the south-southwestern
sky, and is the brightest thing in
the sky. The constellation Orion,
which hangs high in our winter
skies, rises in the east-southeast
at around 2:00 am. And watch for
the Pleiades to rise in the eastnortheast and soar through the
sky.

Sept. 11: Those
in the southern US
may wish to rise in
the early morning to
see a beautiful view
of Mercury, Venus,
and Mars in conjunction. The three planets
will appear in the constellation Virgo, and will
be separated by no more
than 5 degrees (for comparison, a closed fist held at
arm’s length covers about 10
deg).

Sept. 7: First quarter Moon in
Sagittarius
Sept. 8-9: Watch after sunset for
a lovely dance between Jupiter
and the waxing gibbous Moon, low
in the southwestern sky.

Sept. 12-13: enjoy a rare, naked-eye view of Uranus in the
southeastern sky. The planet will
be at its closest approach to Earth.
If you have a telescope, it will look
like a small bluish dot.

(Note: all suggestions here apply to
the Northern hemisphere. All times are
U.S. Pacific Daylight, corresponding
the the GSW Clocktower.)

September 15: Full Moon in Pisces,
2:13 am. This Moon is often known as
the Harvest Moon, but also as the Corn
Moon or Barley Moon, all names reflecting this time of harvest.
Sept. 21: Last quarter Moon
September 22: The Autumnal Equinox occurs in the northern hemisphere at 8:44 am.
Although there are “supposed to be” equal
amounts of day and night on the equinox, the
day will actually be 12 hours and 8 minutes long
on the 22nd. The closest days to “even” will actually
be Sept. 25 and 26, with days of 12 hours 1 minute
and 11 hours 59 minutes, respectively. The equinox
marks the beginning to fall in the northern hemisphere
and spring in the southern hemisphere.
September 29: New (Dark) Moon in Libra, 1:12 am.

Illustration: “Nyx” by Serephina

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Headmaster
OBERON

Photo: GreySchool File

Battles
CANCER!

In mid-August, frightening news came to the students and faculty of Grey School:
Headmaster Oberon Zell-Ravenheart had been diagnosed with colon cancer.
Everyone’s attention was on the Forum posts, hoping for positive updates as the
Headmaster underwent more tests and prepared for surgery.
Candles were lit on personal altars, prayers were said, healing spells were conducted
and posted, and, one by one, hundreds of flickering candles appeared in the Forum
pages as everyone changed their avatars or signature graphics to show support for
Oberon during this scary time.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

The first alert came from Julie
Epona, who sent out the call
for help on August 13...
From: Julie Epona
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Subject: A call for Healing Magick
- more details
Friends,
This is a call for Healing Magick!
Oberon Zell, Wizard/Headmaster/
Primate, recently underwent a colonoscopy. The result of the initial procedure was not what we had hoped
for and expected.
While OZ was in recovery, Dr. D
called me in to listen to what he had
to say. The first thing he said was,
“Now is the time for you to tell your
friends to light candles and pray.”
The doctors have found a golf-ball
sized growth attached to the sigmoid
colon, which has been biopsied. OZ
& MG will received the results of the
biopsy Thursday, Aug 14 at 4:00p
(PDT).
While the “coin is in the air” we want
to influence the probability of a favorable outcome. This is the time to
use our Magick.
I am putting out the call to light your
candles, chant, raise healing energy
for OZ - visualize this growth shrinking and disappearing to nothing.
That this may pass to Ground and
leave Oberon whole and healthy.

11

ISSUE 17

A couple of days later, Ms. Epona
provided an update...
Dear Friends,
Oberon had a meeting yesterday (Thurs Aug 14)
with his doctor, Stephen Denigris, to discuss the
results of the biopsy they did on the golfball-sized
tumor (lesion) they discovered during his recent
colonoscopy. He says it is indeed cancerous, and
colon cancer is aggressive and nasty. However, it
is far enough up that it can be surgically removed
along with about a foot of the descending colon
(left side). He said that it appears to be less than a
year old, so the chances of a complete removal of
all cancerous tissue are excellent.
There is concern that some of the cancer cells may
have migrated into OZ’s lymph nodes, which would
be a really serious problem, requiring radiation and
chemotherapy. To help determine whether or not
this may be the case, they took a few vials of blood
for testing, and today (Friday Aug 15) at 2:45 PM
PDT, OZ is scheduled for a CAT scan. The results of
the bloodwork and the CAT scan will be available
next Thursday, when he has an appointment with
an abdominal surgeon to discuss upcoming surgery—which will be scheduled as soon as possible.
The best things about all this so far are that we
caught this early enough that it should be completely operable; and at the same time, they’ll be
able to repair an abdominal hernia which has been
plaguing OZ for many years.
However, Dr. Denigris also emphasized the importance of prayers and healing energy. Right now, to
shrink and contain the tumor as much as possible,
so that none of the cancer gets out into surrounding tissue or lymph nodes between now and the
surgery. After OZ gets the results of the CAT scan
and bloodwork, I’ll let you know the status going
into surgery. Then he’ll need all the healing energy
he can get on the actual day of the surgery to ensure that everything goes perfectly.
OZ has asked that I thank you all for your love and
magick! He is feeling our support already.

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The first update from Oberon himself brings some welcome good news...
Thank you all! I’ve really been feeling all the love and healing energies!
So far, so good. I met yesterday with the surgeon, and he said that the
CAT scan shows no other tumors outside of the one in my colon--nothing in the lymph nodes, or anywhere else. So we’re good with one of our
objectives.
Moreover, the blood test for C.E.A. (carcinous-embryonic-antigen) was
rather remarkable. This indicates the spread of cancer by noting the
presence of antibodies created by my body in response. In smokers, the
number can be as high as 5. In non-smokers, it’s generally no higher
than 3. In my case, it was 0.5. This indicates that my body’s immune
system has not detected any cancer at all! And all other tests seem to
indicate that I’m healthy as a race horse!
The doctor wants me to go in on Monday for a pre-surgery cardio-pulmonary workup and sonogram, just to provide another check, and to make
sure I’m healthy enough for the surgery, which we still need to schedule.
Considering all the magick being poured into me, I wouldn’t be surprised
to find that the sonogram won’t even find the original tumor!
I have an appointment at 11:30am with another doctor for the cardiopulmonary workup, but I don’t yet have an appointment for the sonogram, and I don’t know who it’ll be with.
My surgeon said that my prior surgery for an umbilical hernia (12 years
ago) will make simultaneous hernia repair complicated, as they’d put in
a Kevlar mesh at the time...which didn’t work.
When I do finally go in for this surgery, I’ll be in the hospital for about a
week. And afterwards, I’ll pretty much be out of commission for another
couple of weeks to heal the surgery. So I’ll have to cancel any traveling
gigs for most of September.
I’ll let you know more news as soon as I have some...
BB-OZ

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

13

ISSUE 17

August 27:
The surgery is scheduled, healing efforts are coordinated and redoubled...
8/27/08
To all my dear Friends,
After a bit of concern regarding my surgeon’s vacation plans, and the possibility that he
wouldn’t be able to do this surgery until Sept. 15 when he returns, we got it all worked out
today. I’ve been on a liquid diet all day, and tonight I’ll be drinking Citrate of Magnesium.
Tomorrow morning (Thurs., 8/2, at 10:00 am, I’ll be checking into the Petaluma Valley
Hospital in Petaluma, CA, where they’ll hook me up to an IV and begin the prep work.
The actual surgery is scheduled for 2:30 pm on Friday, 8/29. My surgeon is Dr. Cesar Veluz, assisted by Dr. Leone. Dr. Niendorf will do the urology stinting (these are stiff rods
inserted up the uretors so that the surgeon will be able to find them easily to avoid cutting
them during the surgery). I mention all these names because Eric Silverbear suggested
sending energy to my doctors as well as to me. Eric says:
“When the time comes, I think it would be good if we sent energy to the Surgeons. We
can ask for them to have clarity, wisdom, skill. We can ask Asclepius for His Divine Guidance. Morning Glory said that we should give the surgeon clarity to visualize, like a map,
the anatomy and the cancer, as the procedure will be laproscopic.”
Dr. Veluz will be performing a hand-assisted laproscopic resection, taking about a foot out
of my lower descending colon to get all of the tumor (which is the size of a ping-pong ball)
and surrounding tissue. The laproscope will allow a minimal incision to minimize the possibility of infection.
According to all the pre-op tests, I am incredibly healthy in every way other than this tumor, so we aren’t expecting any complications. My heart is in excellent shape, and so are
my lungs. My blood pressure and pulse rate are like those of teenager. No other carcinomas appeared in the CAT scan or the ultrasound. And I feel really strong from all the love
and healing energy I feel being continually poured into me from so very many dear friends
all around the world! Thank you all!
If you will, please have a red or green healing candle burning for me starting at 2:30 pm
PDT on Friday, and think of me fondly as being robust and healthy. If you’d like a picture
of me to visualize, there are several on my website at www.OberonZell.com. The moon will
be dark, so you can use that energy to visualize the complete banishment and obliteration
of all carcinous cells. Prayers to Aesculapius, Hygeia, Brigit, Isis, and Kwan Yin would be
especially appreciated, and add to our own. But I also welcome prayers to any other deities of your own devotions for my healing; I have no quarrel with any pantheons!
Many lovely spells have been written and put forth for my healing; I thank you all, and
deeply appreciate all of them! MG and I have printed these out and done them at our own
altar. Below is one that my dear Lady Pythia put together, based on an ancient Druidic
healing spell that Ellen Evert Hopman provided. I like this a lot, and would like to offer it
as a single unified spell that all who wish may do on Friday. But anyone who has written
or prefers other spells is certainly welcome to use them!
Bright Blessings,
Oberon

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

LADY PYTHIA’S
HEALING SPELL
OUT OF THE MARROW, OUT OF THE BLOOD,
OUT OF THE BLOOD AND OUT OF THE FLESH,
OUT OF THE FLESH AND OUT OF THE SKIN,
OUT OF THE SKIN AND OUT OF THE HAIR
OUT OF THE HAIR IT GOES INTO THE EARTH
TURN NOW TO GOOD OH CAULDRON OF BIRTH!
STRENGTH TO OBERON, STRONG BE HIS HEART
BANE CANNOT WITHSTAND OUR SACRED ART
UNTRAMMELED CHANGE, NOW STILL, SOON GONE
AS WE ALL WILL, OUR WORK BE DONE!
BY AIR, FIRE, SEA AND SOIL OF BIRTH
HEAL THIS LOVER OF MOTHER EARTH
GAIA’S CHILD, THIS MAGE OBERON
AS WE WILL OUR WORK BE DONE!
BY THE POWER OF THREE TIMES THREE
BY THE SUN MOON LAND AND SEA
BY THE GODDESS AND HER LOVE
ALL BELOW IS NOW ABOVE
BY THE CHANT OF ONE THIS SPELL’S BEGUN,
BY THE POW’R OF TWO THIS SPELL COMES TRUE
BY THE SPELL OF THREE, SO MOTE IT BE
AN’ IT HARM NONE, NOR RETURN UNTO ME
AS WE DO WILL, SO MOTE IT BE!
AS WE DO WILL, SO MOTE IT BE!
AS SHE DOES WILL, SO MOTE IT BE!

And Visualize that tumor going to the place
of transformation, into the Cauldron of Cerridwen, the Forge of Bridghe; being pulled
deep into the magma center of Gaia where
its baneful energy is consumed then used to
create more Earth! And it is an easy jumping off point to see that viscous center as
a Microcosmic Gate of Galactic Center in a
Magickal Macroscope.
This is where I and ours would send a
Baneful thing--’An it be turned to Good!

14

ISSUE 17

August 30: Two encouraging
post-surgery reports from Ms. Epona!
8/30
OZ is doing really well. The surgery
yesterday went very well.
The surgeon was able to go in with the
laproscropic tool between the abdominal muscles, instead of through the
muscle tissue, which will facilitate healing and greatly lessen OZ’s pain. They
removed the growth and surrounding
tissue, about 1-ft of intestine, which
has all been sent to the lab for pathology testing (results Mon or Tues).
OZ does NOT have a colostomy bag,
the catheters are now out and he is up
and walking about. He’s still experiencing yesterday’s drugs, but when I
talked with him this afternoon, he said
he was pretty sure he would start using the morphine drip soon for the pain
around the incision. He is pleasantly
surprised with how little pain he is feeling.
OZ wants me to let all of you know that
he FEELS the Energy flowing towards
him. As he went into surgery, he felt
a psychic-euphoria envelope him. The
Healing, Support & Love you have sent
is making a huge difference for him he is deeply grateful.
---------------------------As of tonight, all is well and unchanged
since the surgery was completed.
Oberon is beginning to feel uncomfortable, so he is availing himself of the
morphine drip. All-in-All OZ is still feeling very positive & upbeat.
I can’t begin to tell you how touched
he was when the flickering candles began appearing all over the GSW site.
I really want to convey, on his behalf,
how much he feels everyone’s Love,
Support & Magick.
Never Thirst,
Julie Epona

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

15

ISSUE 17

September 1: Oberon’s lifemate, Morning Glory Zell,
(herself no stranger to cancer), provides an update...
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 20:27:30 -0700 (PDT)
Dear Friends and Family:
This is Morning Glory giving you all a quickie update on Oberon’s progress. His surgery was on
Friday and it went well; they removed a large section of his descending colon and adjacent mesentery, his doctor is confident that he took out all the cancer and any pre cancerous lymph nodes.
He said that he did not see any swollen or discolored nodes. The tissue was all sent to Pathology
and we should have the results later this week since the Lab is shut down for the holiday. We will
know that the surgeon successfully removed all the cancer when we receive that report. Until then
folks the coin is, magickally speaking, still in the air. We can still do some probability enhancement.
We will let everyone know as soon as we find out.
In the meantime, Oberon is slowly and painfully recovering from this very harsh procedure. Some
other good news is that he did not have to have a colostomy for which we are all grateful. But even
so at this point he is in some serious agony; both meditation as well as medication can barely take
the edge off his suffering. He is really not in any condition to have visitors or even phone calls. I
do try to see him every day and rub his back and read to him but even my visits are short because
that’s all he can handle. It will take time for the wounded tissues to knit and the healing process to
go forward. He is barely drinking a little water now and he said to me last nite: “At least I will lose
some weight out of all this misery.” At least he hasn’t lost his sense of humor altogether.
So what I want to ask is for people to continue working toward Oberon’s healing by shifting the
probabilities toward 100% of all cancer removed; let all the demon be sitting in that bottle on the
shelf in the Path Lab. But also changing from waning and banishing spells to soothing and nurturing spells directed at Oz’s wounded belly, also strength to bear the pain. Though he can’t really see
or talk to anyone just yet I’m sending you his hospital address and room number so you can send
him cards. I know that when I was diagnosed with cancer 2 years ago and spent a week in the
hospital my spirits were magnificently uplifted by all the wonderful cards and letters that people
sent me. I will be forever grateful for that outpouring of Blessings. I firmly believe that I am alive
because of it.
By the way here is a quick update on me as well. My IG protein levels are around 30 points the last
time I was tested and that means that I am much better. Originally they were over 1000 which was
very bad. I am still not in remission but I am close and the process of going for full remission is
pretty invasive so it is a trade off between pushing the cancer back while maintaining a reasonable
quality of life. My Thalidomide chemo is working and when it stops there are several other drugs to
try as well as other therapies. I am regaining my mobility but I still have a lot of pain; I had to go
off most of my pain meds because they were making me lose my memory and my ability to focus.
I am confident that I will live to see my 2 year old granddaughter grow up and somewhere along
that journey they will find a cure for my cancer.
Fortunately, Oberon’s cancer is curable. We will know whether he will need any radiation or chemotherapy when we get his pathology reports back. Until then beloved friends, please keep up the
good working and send him some nifty cards to take his mind off the misery to:
Oberon Zell c/o: Petaluma Valley Hospital
400 N. McDowell blvd.
Petaluma, CA 94954
Many Bright Blessings to you all,
Morning Glory Zell

As this edition of WGM goes to press,
Oberon is still in recovery. Keep those
candles burning, and take care of yourselves and your loved ones, as well.
May gladness attend us all!

A Sort of Sorting Hat
Sure to Surprise...

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

“The online Grey School of Wizardry opened to students on
Lughnasadh
(August 1) 2004[...] Designed for youth and adult students age 11 or older, the Grey
School of Wizardry provides an extensive program of apprentice studies over a full
spectrum of Wizardry and Magick.[...] Besides its academic focus, the Grey School
students and faculty provide a thriving interactive magickal community. Youth students
(ages 11-17) are sorted into Elemental “Houses” (Gnomes, Salamanders, Sylphs, and
Undines) based on Sun sign, while adult students (age 18 and older) are likewise directed into Elemental “Lodges” (Flames, Stones, Waters, and Winds).”
This is taken directly from Grey School’s home page. Using this information, the WGM
Staff discovered something remarkable:
\

GSW is a Salamander.

As a Youth Student, GSW has made leaps and bounds since its first class. It is
the youngest member of the Salamander House, but has the most contributions
both House-wise and in general. In fact, GSW has officially taken on Majors in
Lore, Wortcunning, Nature Studies, Dark Arts, Wizardry (naturally!), Magickal Practices, Divination, Literature, Ceremonial Magick, Lifeways, and just recently added a
Major in Cosmology. And don’t forget GSW’s Minors in Lore, History, Wortcunning, Nature Studies, Cosmology, Dark Arts, Wizardry, Magickal Practices, Elemental Studies, Magickal Arts and
Crafts, Divination, Departmental Studies, Literature, and Lifeways. There have even been posts
declaring that when the new Majors and Minors are available, GSW will incorporate them into a
curriculum that’s already brim-full with wonderful classes. After all, in four years, there isn’t a
class that hasn’t found its way into GSW’s heart.
Curious to find out what others thought of GSW, I spoke to the Head of Salamander House, Jymi
X/0. She says that although she became Head of Salamander House only recently, “GSW made
an impression on [her] right away -- it’s so popular!” She continues, “At first, I was a little concerned with the amount of time GSW spends on the Internet. It seemed kind of excessive. But
the rest of the students are so good at keeping GSW ‘in the real world’ that I don’t think it’s
a problem. And talk about academic quality! If you want to know anything about
anything, just go to GSW and ask -- with all those classes under its belt and 24-hour
access to experts, it’s like an answer machine!”
I couldn’t agree with you more, Jymi X/0! GSW has always been there for me and
continues to grow even as I write this and as you read along. With each passing day,
GSW matures further, attaining new knowledge, making new friends, and creating new
adventures for students and faculty alike! With so much passion and creativity, it’s no wonder
that this little Leo is a born leader. Happy birthday, GSW!
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WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

Grey School's
Astrological Outlook: Growing Pains...
By Belenus
Grey School had its birthday on August 1st. The birth-child of Oberon
Zell-Ravenheart and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart, our beloved school
opened its cyber doors for business on August 1st, 2004. GSW is four years
old now and growing up fast! In honor of Grey School's birthday, I was asked
by the Staff of Whispering Grey Matters to make up a new year's outlook report
that indicates what to expect, at least as far as Astrology can foretell.
Note: Much of this report about our fledgling school is conservative in nature. As an Astrologer, I must

remain true to the signs and symbols, while balancing encouragement with caution. If some of it sounds a bit
somber, please understand that I truly love this school and respect our students, faculty, and staff immensely!

About Grey School
I don’t often quote interpretations from other sources, but The Matrix Software Company has put it
perfectly for Grey School’s Moon in Aquarius, “You are inspired, for humanity is your family and you are
seldom bound by tradition or domestic ties. The big picture is what counts most with you, and largescale movements and group work are the idea. You seldom find personalities interesting and are democratic in the real sense of the word. You are an altruist and love freedom.”
Grey School’s Sun-Sign of Leo gives us our special flair and generous nature. If we’re not center stage
in the Magickal community, we should be! Leo the sign of the leader and entertainer fits nicely with the
intellectual and humanitarian nature of our Aquarian Moon. Fire pushes us forward, while our scholarly
aspirations mold our outcomes. Our goals become reality!
One Year Outlook
Going back to August 1st, GSW’s birthday was a time to become aware that some of our goals don’t
quite line up perfectly with reality, and what is currently possible. We have to allow for the fact that we
are only human and to go a little easier on ourselves. At the same time, there is energy available to
dream big, and plan realistically to make it happen.
Beginning in early October, GSW should experience a restless time that lasts into January. It is a time
of brain storming and a desire to break away somewhat from the current path. Near the end of October, there is a tempering energetic that will help correct any questionable decisions and set our school
in the right direction. Compromise will be necessary now.
Near the end of January, we will need to practice tact and diplomacy within our school. The energies
of the planets now reflect a time of opposing feelings and emotions. We will have to work to reconcile
these or it could spell trouble within and with our outward reputation. This energy will be with us to a
greater or lesser degree on into mid-summer of 09. A nurturing approach is called for; taking care of
our emotional needs as students and staff cannot be ignored.
In February 09, choices and opportunities appear and choices will not be easy. We will do well at this
time to choose what helps the internal needs of the school rather than what might look like more attractive choices regarding public relations. In reality, at this time, the choice to build on firm foundations will ultimately mean reaching the larger goals. The time will come soon (as early as March and
into May) when public perception of our school will be more favorable as an outgrowth of our humanitarian goals.
In late April and early May, there could be a short bump in the road, when a tough decision needs to be
made. Resentment may be unavoidable, but correct decisions are often the hardest. This problem will
appear again in mid July 09, but a corresponding gift from the planets lends support to adjust and stay
on the right path, and provides a feeling of being at home in the world.
The end of July, and when Grey School turns five, the theme of caution continues regarding decisions
that could take us off track. It is always important to balance our desire to use resources to grow and
reach out in the world (with good intentions), with a need to tend to our own internal requirements.
Happy Birthday Grey School of Wizardry! May the stars and planets bless us and may we have many happy returns!

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

The Age
of Aquarius!
By Belenus

Much has been said and written about the Age of
Aquarius. Astrologers dispute its timing. Some say it
started in the 1960’s while others maintain it will not
be upon us until the year 2100 (1).
I have a different take on the subject. The transition
from one age to another is a gradual occurrence. We
have been in the Age of Pisces since the time of Jesus Christ. Pisces is the symbol of the fish, and this
is probably closer to why Jesus is associated with
fish than some of the other explanations. The birth
of the man many call the Christ, ushered in the Age
of Pisces.

Aquarius is the sign of the Zodiac that’s next in line,
and I propose that the signs of its coming age have
been gradually taking place, both in the heavens and
here on Earth. This ongoing process will continue
into the next Century.
In the heavens, the powerhouse planet Neptune
moved into Aquarius back in 1998. When the planet
of illusions, the Occult, sacrifice, and compassion
moves into the sign of group (global) cooperation,
science, revolution and technology, we have a new
energetic of cooperation, unification and humanitarianism. Uranus, the planet ruling Aquarius, did
some ground work as he made his sojourn through
Aquarius, completing the trip in March of 2003.
On Earth, while things look bleak in many respects,
this is only the Astrological equivalent of our Planet
drawing the Taro Death Card. The Death Card in
Taro is a time of death, but as many who study
Taro know, this “death” is really a time of crisis
that paves the way for regeneration and improvement. It is really the death of old ways, allowing
the development of new ways of relating to each
other on a global scale.
The Age of Aquarius is a time of unification, when
we cast aside many outmoded beliefs and patterns.
Not a loss of religion, but a unification of religions
among each other and with science; a unification
of just about everything. Not an end to wars, but a
time of global co-opts, when the private sector, in
many ways outstrips governments, getting things
done without all that political “red-tape.”
That is how I see it anyway. But it is, and will not,
be easy getting there; nothing worth-while ever
is!
Footnotes:
1.http://www.accessnewage.com/Articles/astro/
ageaq1.htm (accessed 8 August 2008)
References:
2.http://www.adishakti.org/age_of_aquarius.htm

Illustration compliments of the Matrix Software Co

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

Magickal Library
Could Disappear
By Sapphire Soleil

The Harry Price Library of Magical Literature
might be in the center of a disappearing act,
and not the kind one sees on a stage.
Funding for the Senate House Library at
the University of London, which houses the
13,000 piece plus collection of the Harry
Price Library, has been cut by 60% and unless they find the needed funds to keep the
collection together, it might disappear into
the hands of private collectors or be broken
up into small libraries around the world.
The library itself was the brainchild of Harry
Price who gave it to the University in 1937
and bequeathed it to them at his death in
1948. Price started the collection as a child
when a display of magic stage tricks distracted him from a painful tooth extraction
experience at a local carnival. His interest
in magic grew from simple parlor tricks to an
interest in more metaphysical Magick.
Included in the library are letters from famous stage magician Harry Houdini and noted spiritualist and author Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle. Also, the collection has several rare
copies of the infamous Malleus Maleficarum
or Hammer of the Witches from 1486 which
was considered the witch hunter’s guide during the burning times.

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Price sought to gather together all forms of
magic and Magick to help people better identify side-show charlatans as well as to understand true Magickal occurrences when they
saw them.
At present, there is a localized effort underway to help save the library in England. For
more information contact the Senate House
Library at the University of London or this
website entitled “Save the Senate House Library”
http://www.facebook.com/group.
php?gid=17693195046
Sources
Patti Wigington, Budget Cuts Could Eliminate
Magical Library, http://paganwiccan.about.
com, 2008

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17




By Belenus

Mars, often referred to as Earth’s twin planet, is currently the focus of news and buzz among astronomers and many laypersons around the world. In
August of 2007, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), launched a
Mars Lander space craft, which “touched down on
the Martian polar plains on May 25th of this year.” (1)
The question on everyone’s mind is, “is there, or was
there, life on the Red Planet?”

amounts of methane must be produced (currently)
on Mars.” Formisano believes this indicates the probability of existing microbial life. (3)

Mars is cold, with a minimum surface temperature of
-140 degrees Celsius and a maximum surface temperature of -20 degrees Celsius. (2) 0 degrees is the
temperature at which water freezes. Findings, while
still inconclusive, are pointing to the possibility of life
on Mars, past and present.

In 2004, the United States President unveiled a
new course for the space program. His plan would
have NASA change focus from its shuttle program to
manned missions to the Moon; ultimately using our
Moon as a launching pad to further space exploration, including a colony on Mars.

In February 2005, Vittorio Formisano from the Italian
Institute of Physics and Interplanetary Space spoke
at the Mars Express Science Conference at Noordwijk
in the Netherlands. He then offered proof that “huge

If it is not found that life existed on Mars in the past,
perhaps life on the Red Planet will exist in the future,
even if it has to be human.

In June 2008, “an experiment on the Phoenix Mars
Lander showed the dirt on the planet’s northern arctic plains to be alkaline…and full of the mineral nutrients that a plant would need.” (4) Other experiments
showed that water also exists on the Red Planet.

Footnotes
1.http://www.boston.com/news/local/
articles/2008/08/14/searching_for_life_
on_mars/
2.General Mars Facts. From: http://
w w w . r e d c o l o n y. c o m / f e a t u r e s .
php?name=marsfacts
3.Scientists: Life on Mars Likely. From:
http://www.wired.com/science/space/
news/2005/05/67315
4.Alkaline Soil Sample From Mars Reveals Presence of Nutrients for Plants
to Grow. From: http://www.nytimes.
com/2008/06/27/science/space/
27MARS.html?partner=rssnyt
Resources
Bush unveils vision for moon and beyond.
From: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/
space/01/14/bush.space/index.html

Image Source:
NASA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:
Mars_Hubble.jpg

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

THE

SUN’S
TAKING A

VACATION
By Sapphire Soleil

Even our local star decides to take some time off
occasionally. While still pouring forth its energy to
our solar system daily, the Sun has been pretty quiet
when it comes to the massive storms on its surface
that we call sun spots.
Some scientists have begun to speculate that this
low period of Sun activity, called a solar minimum,
could foreshadow the occurrence of a new ice age
such as the one called the Maunder Minimum in the
17th century which is blamed for the Little Ice Age as
well as a small minimum period in the 19th century
which also led to a cooling of the Earth.
NASA solar physicist, David Hathaway, explained to
SPACE.com that although the Sun typically has 11
year cycles for sun spots and the current cycle is
somewhat late, it is no need for concern.
Hathaway says that the new upward cycle is just
“slow to start off” and that some small flares have
been seen already this year.
Also, Hathaway noted that even if there was a solar
minimum such as the ones which caused ice ages,
our current abundance of greenhouse gases would
more than make up for any heat not generated by
the sun and keep the Earth quite warm.
The current cycle is slated to reach its peak in the
year 2012, coinciding with a whole bevy of astronomical events, but the slow start may delay its peak
action.

Image Source: Luc Viatour, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Image:Solar_eclips_1999_4_NR.jpg

Sources:
Thompson, Andrea, Sun Seems Eerily Calm, http://
www.livescience.com/space/080611-sunspot-activity.html, June 11, 2008
Staff writers, Space.com, http://www.space.com/
scienceastronomy/080711-solar-minimum.html,
July 11, 2008

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WGM SPECIAL EDITION
Although at least one
other state has legislation pending, South
Carolina seems to be
the first state that
will issue “I Believe”
license plates complete with the image
of a cross and stainedglass window. Lt. Gov.
Andre Bauer feels so
strongly about the
matter that he has
said he is willing to
put up a required deposit of $4,000 out of
his own pocket to get
the project started.
Bauer was instruSouth Carolina License Plate design altered by Jymi X/0
mental in walking this By silverlocke
measure through the
preme Court split ruling that disallowed many such
General Assembly, saying it gives people a way to express their beliefs. The displays, saying the context of the display must be
idea came from Florida, where a proposal for an “I considered.
Believe” tag ultimately failed.
Jeremy Gunn of the ACLU said: “Religion belongs
“I’m all about freedom of speech,” Bauer said, and where it prospers best: with individuals, families and
claimed the motivation for the bill was to try to ne- religious communities. ... Obviously what motivates
gate the ACLU--an organization perceived as threat- them is the desire to post the Ten Commandments.
Everything else is decoration.”
ening South Carolinians’ beliefs and traditions.
“People who support Judeo-Christian values are ever
under fire now,” Bauer said.
Bauer’s chief of staff, State Sen. Yancey McGill, got
the bill passed in two days sans public hearing or
debate.
“It’s a great idea,” says McGill. “People don’t have
to buy them. But it affords them that opportunity. I
welcome any religion tags.”
A reporter asked McGill, “What about Wicca, commonly referred to as witchcraft?”
“Well, that’s not what I consider to be a religion,”
McGill answered.
The latest law, approved late Wednesday accompanying the license plate bill, allows the public posting
of the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer in
public places in apparent defiance of the 2005 Su-

Various other civil rights groups besides the ACLU
have claimed this is an endorsement of religion by
the State and a clear violation of church and state
separation, but custom license plates with themes
and mottos are very widely available. Gov. Mark
Sanford cited this previous availability and said it
was not necessary for him to even sign the bill as the
mechanisms and procedures were already in place
for immediate implementation and only needed the
initial deposit.
Source:
“SC first to get ‘I Believe’ license plates”.
The Associated Press.
<http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/
dn/religion/stories/061308dnlivplate.307a24b.
html>

“We’Moon” http://ww
w.wemoon.ws/ We
’Moon is a “gorgeou
ful guide to lunar
s and userhythms, astrologica
l cycles, deep ecolo
traditions, and mult
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art, poetry, and writin
of gorgeous
gs, the coil-bound bo
ok can be ordered on
purchased from your
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okstore.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

23

ISSUE 17

The ones which came from Sirius were pure, white,
priest-like and etheral, connected to air. They worked
with crystals and were seekers of truth and pristine
emotion.
The Souls who came from the Plejades were hermeneutic and golden, connected to fire and water. They
searched for gold, were alchemists, worked with
herbs, aromas and essences and loved animals.
People from Orion were the technologists and physicists, the logical ones who were very grounded. They
constructed things, were strategists and mental
workers.
With time, all those different beings intermingled
more and more and I guess it’s safe to assume that
according to Mr. Von Oppeln’s idea, we consist of an
interesting mix of star energy from Orion, Sirius and
the Plejades.
Doreen Virtue does not place the arrival of the starpeople in the past, on the contrary, she states that
we have people living on earth who live their first
life as a human being, with their soul coming from
“outside“.
In her book “Earth Angels“ she not only describes
incarnated elementals, angels and walk-ins, but also
starpeople, describing them as soft-mannered, quiet
and loving people. They seem to be quite unobtrusive, working with people behind the scenes, taking
influence by being friendly, helpful and giving.

Illustration: Areeya

Starpeople

By Eilwen

If you believe Mr. Von Oppeln’s theory about Lemuria
and how our existence on earth begun, we have all
come from the stars, getting here through a vortex of
energy originating at Sirius. Different extraterrestrial
races came here to experiment – experiments which
mutated the peaceful plant eaters on earth and created the dinosaurs and other predators. Later, visitors from Sirius, the Plejades and Orion came here
to fix what their predecessors had “broken“. They
were astral beings without a body. To work here,
they incarnated in primates on earth, thus creating
human beings. It was all very new to them, having
bodies, and they found it quite funny. They still had
powers like Teleportation or changing matter to different forms.

It seems they share some common threads in their
physical appearance, like having tall, lanky bodies
and strangely shaped eyes in strong colours. Because the earth customs are new and strange to
them, they can seem aloof and detached. They all
share the strong wish to “go home“ and feel connected to the stars in some way, many are science
fiction fans and believe in Ufos.
Many of them state that they just “feel they come
from the stars and have been sent here to help and
heal“.
My own experience is one wishing desperately for as
long as I can think that “they“ would come and get
me home. But then, I guess that is a thread that all
wizards share. Whether we all, or some of us, come
from the stars is really unimportant, it’s important
to feel connected, be it to the stars, the earth, the
plants or the animals. Then we do the same as the
starpeople described in the books: Be considerate,
interested, loving and caring. And that’s what matters.
Sources:
Dietrich von Oppeln-Bronikowski, Lemuria, 2006
Doreen Virtue, Earth Angels, 2006
Diana Cooper, Discover Atlantis, 2006

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

Close Encounter of the
By Sapphire Soleil

24

COMET

ISSUE 17

Kind

Way back in the latter part of the last century around
1997 I was on my way to a play rehearsal early one
evening, singing along with the radio, minding the
speed limit and in general being a good observant
driver. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear but a light in the sky that was just sitting there!
What the heck is that???? A UFO! I had just seen a
UFO! I nearly ran off the road! Wow! Oh, uh, wait a
second--no, not a UFO, an IFO, as in Identified Flying
Object. The strangely named comet, Hale-Bopp, had
finally made an appearance in the skies over Northern Idaho and I was absolutely stunned. What magnificent beauty just floating there over my head!

that would be my only chance to see a real comet
with the naked eye. I am shooting to be around for
its return in 2061, but I will be a very old woman by
then and my eyes aren’t what they used to be.

I managed to make it to rehearsal intact and without
injury to my fellow drivers but all a-twitter with the
news that an actual heavenly body was making an
appearance right above our heads. My fellow actors
seemed slightly interested and turned back to their
blocking and lines.

Magickal study does the same thing for me when
pretty comets are not around. It reminds me how
lucky I am to see and feel magick, attempt to understand it, and most importantly contemplate it.

How could they be so blasé? It isn’t every day that a
big, bright, beautiful comet shows up in the sky. Halley’s Comet was a bit of a dud in 1986 and I thought

But Hale-Bopp came through for me. For several
wonderful months it showed us its tail and then a
second one as it started to whip around the Sun. It
was so bright it rivaled the full moon. During those
months I often thought about the universe and its
wonders and my little place in it and how amazingly
lucky I was to see it, attempt to understand it, and
contemplate it.

The comet may be out of sight, but it is still up there
somewhere. And perhaps another being is looking
up in the sky and saying “wow!”
I hope they don’t run off the road.

Illustratoin: “Busy Sky” by Serephina

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

25

ISSUE 17

 

By Prof. Moonwriter
Acting Dean of Cosmology

(Note: all suggestions apply to the
Northern hemisphere.)
For thousands of years, astronomers have built tools
and models in an attempt to duplicate the movements of the night sky. One of the earliest and most
elegant of these was the astrolabe, meaning “star
taker.” The classical astrolabe consists of a disk with
the edge marked in degrees and a pivoted pointer—
you can see our Headmaster wearing his own astrolabe with his full regalia. The instrument is used
to make astronomical measurements, calculate the
altitudes of celestial bodies, and—in navigation—for
calculating latitude, predating the development of
the sextant.
The planisphere is an offshoot of the astrolabe. Planisphere simply means “level sphere,” and a planisphere creates a flat two-dimensional map of the
sky. The circular planisphere has two parts which
pivot at the celestial pole (the point directly overhead), allowing users to adjust the map for location,
time, and date, and thus to plot the stars’ movement
through the heavens.
Planispheres are sold through museum, science, and
educational toy stores, as well as through various online sites. The highest-quality planispheres are made
of plastic or plasticized tag board. Free versions are
also easy to find online, allowing you to download a
pattern and make your own.
To use a planisphere, turn the wheel to align date
and time. Look for the direction on the planisphere

rim that matches the direction you’re facing; hold
that direction next to you. Presto! You’re looking at a
map of the stars above your facing horizon. The edge
of the oval (central) star map represents the horizon
and the visible heavens. If you have an unobstructed
view and nice, dark skies, you will be able to see all
of the stars showing in the central cut-out area.
Another way of using the planisphere is to align it as
described above, then to hold it overhead, the north
indicator aligned with “true” or celestial north. What
you see in the planisphere window will be mirrored
in what’s overhead.
How do you find celestial north? Look for Polaris,
a.k.a. “The North Star.” Polaris is a circumpolar star,
one that never rises or sets, but appears to rotate
around the celestial north pole. Because of Polaris’
fixed position in the sky, it can be used to locate
other stars and constellations, and can also help find
direction.
How do you find Polaris? Find the Big Dipper (part
of Ursa Major). Use the two stars on the outer edge
of the “dipper” to draw an imaginary arrow up into
the heavens: your imaginary line will hit Polaris, a
medium-bright star almost directly overhead. Face
Polaris, and you’re facing “true” north.
Note that a planisphere doesn’t show every heavenly
object, but focuses on the brightest stars and constellations that are most easily seen. When using the
planisphere, adjust it every thirty minutes or so to
keep up with the heavens wheeling by overhead.
Background: Serephina

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

26

ISSUE 17

What Goes Up Must Come Down:

The Mysteries of Gravity
By Prof. Moonwriter
Acting Dean of Cosmology

You’ve all heard the story about Newton’s apple….
Isaac Newton is wandering about one afternoon
and decides to relax under an apple tree. He’s sitting there thinking when suddenly an apple drops
down and thunks him on the head. As the tale goes,
this gets Newton to thinking about why everything
falls down towards the Earth, instead of falling up,
or even sideways. So begins his exploration into the
laws of gravity.

Another famous step towards understanding gravity
was made by Galileo Galilei in the late 1600s. Galileo
dropped balls of different weights from the top of
the Tower of Pisa, and made deductions about the
relationship between mass and acceleration. The results convinced him that gravity affected all objects
equally, a major departure from earlier theories in
which gravity was believed influenced by an object’s
mass and weight.

What is gravity? Simply said, it’s the tendency of
two objects with mass to attract one another—in
Newton’s case, the attraction was between an apple
and his head. But what about mass? Let’s step aside
for a moment and examine the nature of mass and
weight.

These discoveries were among those setting the
stage for Newton’s greatest work: his law of universal gravitation. This law found that all mass-containing objects were affected by gravity in a predictable
and constant fashion. Along with this, Newton developed three laws of motion, which were important in
explaining gravity and its effects.

Mass refers to the actual atomic volume of a piece
of matter, i.e., by the number of electrons, protons,
molecules, etc, that comprise an object. Imagine that
you have an empty room and put 10 people into it.
Now imagine an identical room filled with 50 people.
If the room is analogous to a piece of matter and the
people to individual atoms, the room with 50 people
has a higher density and a greater mass. Likewise,
a thick milkshake is more dense than a simple cup
of tea.
As for weight, it refers to the effect of gravity on
a mass-containing object. If you weigh 120 lbs on
Earth, under 1g (the force created by Earth’s gravitational field), you will weigh 20 lbs on the Moon,
where gravity is only 1/6g. But your mass will be exactly the same on Earth and the Moon, because your
atomic volume—and your relative density—don’t
change.
Newton wasn’t the first scientist to think about gravity: ancient philosophers pondered the problem for
millennia. Humans originally believed that the Heavens revolved around the Earth, a theory known as
“geocentric,” or Earth-centered. In the early 1600s,
Copernicus shared his theories of heliocentricism and
his proof that the Sun was at the center of the Solar System. Labeled as a heretic, Copernicus served
prison time for these findings, which were seen as
dangerously anti-Church. Nonetheless, his work
carried tremendous scientific weight and laid the
groundwork for what would follow.

Newton’s first law of motion is the law of inertia,
which says that objects at rest tend to stay at rest,
while those in motion tend to keep moving. Imagine
you’re riding in a car that brakes suddenly. The car
slows to rapid stop, but your body wants to keep
moving, and you feel your weight surge against the
seat belt. You’re in motion, and law of motion is trying to keep you moving forward. The only reason you
stop is because of the seat belt holding you fast to
the stopping car.
Newton’s second law describes the relationship between mass and four terms that describe motion:
position, direction, velocity, speed, and acceleration.
Position refers to an object’s fixed position in space,
while direction implies movement from one position
toward another. Velocity is the rate of change of position, while speed is a measurement defining how
fast or slowly something moves from one position to
another. Finally, acceleration is the rate of change of
velocity.
Calculating velocity requires both speed and direction, while acceleration can be affected be either
speed or direction. Acceleration can also be “negative.” We tend to think that “accelerating” means “going faster.” But remember: acceleration is the rate of
change of velocity, in either speed or direction. A car
that slows down or turns is accelerating every bit as
much as a car that speeds up.
To understand Newton’s second law, we need one

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

27

more term: momentum. Momentum refers to the quantity of
motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass
and velocity. Okay: imagine you wad up a single sheet of paper
and throw it. You can accelerate the paper wad at a decent
speed; but because it has a very low mass, its momentum is
low. It won’t go far and will quickly decelerate and fall to the
ground. Now imagine you pick up an entire ream of 500 sheets
of paper and throw it, using the same approximate force used
to throw the paper wad. The acceleration is more difficult and
is less than the paper wad, because the ream has a high mass.
But because of that mass, its momentum is greater than that
of the paper wad; thus, the ream may go further than the wad,
and when it hits the ground it skids to a stop.
Last but not least is Newton’s third law, proving that every action generates an equal and opposite reaction. Shoot a gun and
you feel the recoil. Magick users work with the action-reaction
law any time we send a spell out into the Universe.
Newton’s laws revolutionized science, and they still hold up
today. In the 20th century, Einstein would propose his general
theory of relativity, which relates gravitational effects to curved
“spacetime” rather than to rigid linear physics. The modern
field of quantum mechanics surpasses relativity in trying to
explain how gravity and physics behave in unknown environments.
We owe our existence to the laws of gravitation and motion
that shape our Universe. Next time you eat an apple, think
about Newton, and his lucky sojourn under the apple tree.

ISSUE 17

Fg= M1 . M
2
d2
The force of the gravitational
attraction between two objects
can be measured by multiplying their masses and dividing
the result by the square of the
distance between them.

Illustration: “As So Above” by Serephina

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

28

ISSUE 17

THE SHAPE
OF SPACE
by Jymi X/0

“...there‛s a hundred billion galaxies that stretch across the sky
Filled with constellations, planets, moons and stars.
And still the universe extends
to a place that never ends
Which is maybe just inside a little jar!”
-- The Animaniacs: “Universe Song”

In this issue, we’re talking a lot about things in outer
space...but what is space itself? Is it like a big closet,
where we just happen to keep all the planets and
stars? Is it defined by the distance between them?
If no matter existed within space, would space exist
at all? What shape is space? Does the Universe -- all
the space there is -- have an edge?
It seems odd, in a way, to think of space as having a
“shape.” It’s hard to visualize a big, empty vacuum
(well, not exactly empty, but that’s another article!)
as having a quality that we usually associate with
material objects. Artists are familiar with the shape
of space, though, since they often have to consider
how the shape of their work affects the empty space
around it (“negative space”). For many artists, especially those sculptors who work with abstract shapes,
the space around their work is just as much a part of
the art as the tangible object.

One property shared by all material substances (regardless of their artistic value) is gravity: the object’s effect on space. Most people think of gravity
as that property of matter which causes objects to
be attracted to each other -- and it is -- but how?
The denser the object, the more it warps the space
around it, like a heavy ball resting on a mattress.
What happens when you put a lighter ball in the indentation? It might make a dent of its own, but it
ends up rolling toward the heavy one. Gravity is the
indentation the heavy ball makes in the empty space
all around it, causing nearby objects to move toward
it. We know that gravity bends space, rather than affecting only matter, since Einstein was able to show
us that even a light ray’s path is bent around material objects.
The force of gravity diminishes over distance, but it
never reaches zero. If there were only two objects in
the entire universe, they’d eventually come together, no matter how far apart they were to start with.
This brings us, finally, to the very edge of the universe. Many people think that the Universe is expanding, which would seem to imply that it has boundaries and a shape, and we’d be able to tell what that is
if we could just...step outside of it and see...wait a
minute, we’re right back where we started! How do
you get out of this thing?

See how “La Grande Vitesse” by Alexander Calder
gives a graceful, sweeping quality to the space around
it. (Note the tiny person in the lower right corner.)
photo by Jymi X/0

You don’t. The gravity of all the matter in the Universe curves the space in which it rests to the point
where, no matter how far you travel, you’ll just go
in circles around the inside perimeter. Think about
being stuck inside a balloon: you can walk as far as
you want, but you’ll just be going in circles.
If you want to get out of the Universe, you’ll just
have to figure out a way to pop it!

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

29

ISSUE 17

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Moon on
the Mind
By Areeya

Illustration: Areeya
The seasons turn, as the seasons will, moving from summer through the first and second harvest in the desert called Las Vegas. Regardless of season, one looks to the sky, here and elsewhere, for some sign of guidance.
Through the ages many folks looked to astrology, the study of the sun, moon, and planets, for insight on many
different subjects in daily living. The monthly path of the sun, the moon, and the planets, seemed to reflect
the design of human activity. Astrology has been a valuable tool in Witchcraft and Wizardry in the past as it
still is today. I like to look at the Moon phases in particular, in planning special events, or just as an influence
on my everyday life. I, myself, follow the four moon phases--the new moon, the first quarter, the full moon,
and the last quarter.
The new moon is associated with new beginnings; an increase of energy. The first quarter attributes to growth,
challenge and response. The full moon can be seen as the moment of fruition, illumination, and major events.
And the last quarter seems to chaperon completion with sweet release and expelling of energy.
My mind seems to continually adjust to the moon phase and in doing so I make conscious decisions along my
journey accordingly. So, gravity and distance aside, I feel the four phases of the moon affects ones emotional
mind set in the simplest yet extremely profound form of signature magick—Like knows Like, eh?
When the moon just begins anew, the launching of my new endeavors seems to soar. The moon waxes to full
and I choose what energy to celebrate in its fullness and so on. So, is the mind linked to the moon? Does its
path reflect, or rather indicate, what course of action or inaction we take in this part of the multi-verse? I feel
the moons path does indeed guide our path, especially the emotional heart and mind. Of course the effect of
the moon on the mind is just this writer’s opinion. What’s yours?

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

30

ISSUE 17

Celestial Foods
By Prof. Moonwriter
The night is clear, your telescope is ready, and you’ve
invited a few good friends over for a star party. All
that’s missing are refreshments!

Moon Cakes - eaten at the Mid-Autumn
festival in China.

A simple way to start is with celestial sugar cookies. Cut them into rounds (for planets), stars, or crescents.
Supply sanding sugars and tubes of decorator icing and let your guests make their own heavenly creations.
If you’re from the southern United States, you might include Moon Pies. Invented somewhere around 1915,
this cross between cookie, confection, and S’more sandwiches a marshmallowy filling between two round
graham crackers, and robes the whole thing in a chocolate dip (strawberry, banana, and other flavors are
also available). At 226 calories and packing 6 grams of fat, one of these will send you over the Moon—and
should make your dentist happy, too.
Want to make your own shooting stars? You’ll need a roll of wintergreen lifesavers, a plastic sandwich bag,
and pliers. Unwrap the lifesavers and put one or two in the baggie. Take baggie and pliers outside on a dark
night, or into a very dark room. Grip a lifesaver with the pliers (“through” the baggie) and apply pressure: at
the moment the lifesaver cracks, you’ll see sparks!
Why does this happen? Sugar is a crystal, and when broken, it releases energy as a mass of free electrons;
these react with the nitrogen, which “excites” the wintergreen electrons and creates a spark. We only see
part of the reaction—most of the energy created is manifest as ultraviolet light, which can’t be seen with the
naked eye.
By the way: you can also make sparks by crunching the lifesavers in your own mouth, although you’ll have
a hard time seeing the sparks this way!
For another sparkly candy, head to your local candy store in search of “Pop Rocks,” a carbonated hard candy
that fizzes and pops in the mouth when eaten. The reaction is caused by carbon dioxide, which is trapped in
the candy during production and released as saliva dissolves the sugary coating.
For a hands-on snack, create marshmallow treat asteroids. Use your favorite marshmallow krispy recipe,
only instead of forming the results into a flat cake, use buttered hands to shape small round “asteroids.” Roll
in chocolate chips for “space debris.”
Looking for something heartier? Try flying saucer pizza pitas. Spread your favorite pizza sauce on a pita,
add toppings (make sure some are green!), and bake at 350° (F) until everything’s melted and sizzly. Or
go way over the top with real astronaut food: Tang, freeze-dried ice cream, and peanut butter in tubes, to
squeeze onto crackers.
For an international flair, you might serve Mooncakes. These Chinese delicacies are part of autumn or
harvest celebrations. The small, dense cakes include various fillings, such as custard or lotus paste. Lunar
symbols are imprinted on the top.
Finish your party with a nice astral travel tea of bay, cinnamon, and thyme. Enjoy the journey!

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

31

ISSUE 17

WGM Cosmology Word Find

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

32

Cosmology Crossword Puzzle

ISSUE 17

This puzzle is based on findable words within the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard and the
Companion for the Apprentice Wizard by HM Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. This is not easy but all answers
are able to be figured out if your read the sections on Cosmology! Good Luck!

e
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re
sphe

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

33

ISSUE 17

ACROSS

DOWN

1 A solar system model set up to display planetary movements
3 Auriga, yellowish, 42 light years
8 Inside Constellations these groupings of stars are found
11 Orion, blue-white, 545 light years
12 The spinning of a body about its own axis, like a top
13 Aquailla, yellowish, 18 light years
14 The round, bright moon is fully lit (two words)
15 One of Saturn’s Moons which likely has liquid surfaces
and a complex chemistry
17 An instrument used to measure altitudes above the
horizon
20 The most Earth-like planet
22 Taurus, reddish, 54 light years
24 A measure of distance, not time, based on how far a
particle of light will travel in one year (two words)
25 Gemini, yellowish, 31 light years
27 A simple tool, used to find constellations in the night
sky
28 Greek; the one who Poseidon sent to reek havoc until
Andromeda was sacrificed
30 The one who Perseus beheaded
32 Greek; this was Hera’s pet, whom she sent to kill
Orion by biting him in the heel
33 Cygnus, white, 465 light years
38 Pisces Austrinus, white, 27 light years
39 Greek He was the greatest hunter in the world
43 An outdoors device which depending on latitude will
tell time during the day
47 The point in the sky that a meteor shower appears to
come from
48 When the moon begins to darken to ¾ lit (two words)
49 Sol, a pretty average sized star, about 880,000 miles
in diameter
52 When the moon darkens, and half of it is lit (two
words)
54 The very hot outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere,
comprised of highly diffused, super heated, ionized gases,
and extending into interplanetary space.
55 Was considered an ill omen in ancient times; solar
especially
58 Earth-like worlds or rocky planets
59 The point in the orbit of a planet, comet, etc. which is
closest to the Sun
60 Orion, reddish, 300 light years
62 Argo, Yellowish, 650 light years
64 Canis Major, bluish, 8.5 light years away
65 The motion of an object around another larger body,
such as the Earths yearly course around the Sun
67 When the moon is growing, you see the first quarter
of the face (two words)
68 Lyra, blue-white, 23 light years

2 Leo, blue-white, 70 light years
4 The point in the orbit of a planet, comet, etc.
which is furthest from the sun
5 The creature which sprang from Medusa’s headless corpse
6 Virgo, bluish, 190 light years
7 A system invented in the second century used to
describe the varying brightness of celestial objects
8 Daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia
9 A piece of metal, mineral or rock that falls from
the sky
10 Our Planet
13 The most famous of these in the Northern Hemisphere is called Borealis
14 The splitting of heavier atomic nuclei into lighter
ones
16 The hot gasses in a solar corona create what
(two words)
17 The red giant star in the center of Scorpio
18 A spherical model which represents the Earth in
ratio to the signs of the zodiac
19 A Moon of Saturn covered in ice with a chance of
it having liquid water beneath
21 Also known as ‘heavenly’
23 These dusty clumps of rock and ice, are celestial
fossils
26 The vast region starting at the Sun’s surface
and extending to the limits of the solar system, well
beyond the orbits of the most distant planets
28 The Department represented by the color Violet
29 Bootes, Orange, 32 light years
31 A Moon of Jupiter covered in ice with liquid water
beneath
34 It’s at the center of every galaxy, and makes up
1% of its total mass (two words)
35 The combining of lighter elements into heavier
ones
36 The path of an object revolving around another
object
37 A Moon of Jupiter which is warmer than most
and has a complex chemistry
40 Warm, plenty of water and many complex organic chemicals which make it a possibility for life there
41 When ½ the moon is lit (two words)
42 Permeates the space within our solar system
44 Only ¼ of the moon is lit, heading to darkness
(two words)
45 When ¾ of the moon is lit as it heads to full (two
words)
46 With the North star in the center, and a 24 hour
clock drawn in a circle, you can tell time by using this
constellation (two words)
50 A Moon of Jupiter covered with ice which may
have a liquid flow underneath
51 Canis Minor, yellowish, 10 light years
53 This is when the moon is not seen in the night
sky (two words)
56 The best know story in the heavens which includes Andromeda; son of Zeus
57 These are created at night with water particles in
the air, and moonlight
61 This is a unit of measure equal to 3.26 light
years
63 “daughter” of Terra
66 An atom which has lost or gained one or more
electrons so that it has a net electrical charge

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

TAROT: Cosmology

34

ISSUE 17

in the Cards
-- Jymi X/0

THE
STAR

Once upon a time, which is itself an illusion, all things were One thing, all
energy was One energy, and all minds were One mind.
“BOOOOOOOOrrrrrrr-innnnnggg...” the One-Mind thought. “There is no one
to play with. There are no movies to watch, not even bad ones. There are no
puzzles to work. There are no water balloons to throw, and no telemarketers
at which to throw them, anyway.”
Then the One-Mind thought, “I should make all these things.”

Right there -- that thought -- this is the Star. It is everything in
its perfect, imaginary form, before manifestation. It’s the idea before the reality. It is the symbiotic relationship between reality and
imagination, and the limitlessness of pure possibility.
The Greek philosopher Plato envisioned a dimension somewhere
“above” ours, in which everything in this reality existed in its perfect
form. He said that all objects and actions here on Earth were but
flawed copies of the forms and energies from that perfect realm.
The Star reminds us that as long as we can think and imagine, there
is always hope; there is always a reason to be excited. As the speed
of starlight (or any other light) renders it timeless(2), the archetypal
forms in our imagination do not experience change, loss or decay.
(Or if they do, the experience is part of the archetype -- there can
be a perfect loss, but the point of the Star is the permanence of the
idea, like a book you can pick up and read again and again. And if
you care to write your own book, the ideas are always there for you;
a concept can never be used up.)
In the Star, everything is as it should be -- including the flaws...for
if there were no flaws, there could be no stories.
And the One Mind imagined a difference between light and dark,
oceans and land, plants, animals and people, and in order for those
ideas to become really-real, It had to separate Itself into many
parts and become all these things. And then the One Mind was All
Minds, and the All Minds almost immediately started squabbling
over who got to throw the water balloons and who had to be the
telemarketers.

THE
MOON

The Moon is the biggest, brightest thing we see in the night sky -- it can be so bright that it’s easy to forget
that it has no light of its own. It shines only by reflecting the light of the nearest star.
While the Star could be said to represent the collective subconscious, with the Archetypal “perfect forms”
that are familiar and available to everyone, the Moon is each individual’s personal underworld, filled with
treasures and horrors of such a personal nature that it would be impossible to truly share them with anyone
else. The common Archetypes are there, to be sure, but they’re filtered through individual experiences,
opinions, and desires.
We live our lives attempting to find the most “correct” interpretation of the source of the light in which we all
stand -- we all see the same light, but from different perspectives, and it’s often hard to really communicate.
The utter aloneness of being trapped inside ones own head for a lifetime, searching for “Truth” but finding
only more and more illusions, could drive anyone mad after awhile.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

35

ISSUE 17

The Moon is traditionally associated with cyclical changes, emotions, and intuition instead of
conscious knowledge -- all of which could only
occur in an “imperfectly” manifested world.
Yes, there could be a perfect change, or a perfect emotion, but the manifestation of such
things are by nature imperfect, fleeting, and
they leave us wanting. But the only reason we
have the idea of perfection at all is from seeing
its muddled reflection in the imperfect world
around us, and we are filled with inspiration to
get just a little closer.

And even though the All Minds often had a lot
of trouble deciding just who had the right angle on the situation at the right time, they all
enjoyed gazing into the big bowl of the night
sky and catching sight of their own reflections
in the starlight...

THE
SUN
The Sun would have rounded out
this Cosmological Tarot Trio nicely,
but alas, I’ve just about reached
my word count. Before I leave
you adrift in the Moon’s deliciously melancholy sea of shadows,
let me assure you that there is a
map back to the world of the Star.
“Every man and woman is a Star,”
said Aleister Crowley, and perfection is in the eye of the beholder
-- remember that next time you
stare into the Sun.

...And they lived happily ever after,
even if it was all just for pretend.

1) Banach, David. “Plato’s Theory of Forms.” St. Anselem College, Dept. of Philosophy.
2006. Accessed 26 July, 2008.
<http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/dbanach/platform.htm>
2) Wolfe, Joe. “Time dilation and length contraction in Special Relativity.” The University of New South Wales.
2052 (Yes, the site says “2052”). Accessed 26 July, 2008.
<http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/einsteinlight/jw/module4_time_dilation.htm>
No telemarketers were harmed in the making of this article.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

36

ISSUE 17

by silverlocke
The Tarot, a deck of cards used mainly for divination or meditation, has become immensely popular
with literally hundreds of different sets available at
the most mundane of outlets. Although we know
nearly exactly when playing cards arrived in Europe
and from what source and when Tarot cards began
to be used for divination, the origins and sources
of the Tarot deck are obscured in the mists of time
and the sources and symbolism of the cards is still
a matter of conjecture and dispute. The prevailing
opinion seems to favor an Egyptian source with a
later overlay of Kabbalic symbolism although there
are equally legitimate claims that the Egyptian origin was a red herring conjured up by a couple of
over-enthusiastic Egyptologists and the Kabbalistic
meanings were tacked on by one rejected from the
Christian church.
Tarot cards, also called taroc or tarocchi or turuq or
tarock, were originally used for a Bridge-like game.
The Tarot first surfaced in Northern Italy in the 15th
century, and thus, although the word Tarot is French,
Italian names were the first used. The word tarocchi
or carte da trionfi (cards of the triumphs) was used
to distinguish the Tarot from a game called ‘trumps’
or ‘triumphs’ played with regular cards, What makes
the Tarot unique are the 22 Trump or Major Arcana
cards. There is no evidence that anyone used these
cards for any purpose other than games until long
after their invention and most sources agree that the
Major Arcana cards were combined with a regular
deck of playing cards (perhaps the Neapolitan Scopa
deck which shares the same suits, although the evidence for this is scant) to create the Tarot.
As early as the late 14th century, playing cards began
to be introduced to Europe from Islamic sources. The
first mention of these cards being used for divination
purposes was late in the 15th century, but nearly
another three-hundred years passed before the publication in 1781 of Le Monde Primitif (The Primitive
World) by Comte de Gébelin who explained the Tarot
specifically in occult or divination terms. His work
promoted the view that the Tarot had Egyptian occult origins.

An embedded essay by Comte de Mellet included
in de Gébelin’s work is responsible for the mystical
connection of the Tarot’s Major Arcana with the 22
letters of the Hebrew alphabet--planting the notion
of Kabbalic origins. This article, and the writings of
one Eliphas Levi, a nom-de-pen for the failed Catholic priest Alphonse Louise Constant--who claimed the
Jews the source of all magickal teachings--was the
basis for the attachment of Kabbalic symbolism to
the Tarot and provided the groundwork for the first
Tarot deck published with divination in mind: the
Ettellia deck. This deck was created by a fortuneteller of the same name and included a technique
for reading the Tarot, and thus the practice of Tarot
reading was born.
When we turn our attention to the actual reading of
the cards for divination or meditation, we see that the
High Priestess and the Moon, for two examples, have
a definite pre-Christian flavor. The Chariot and the
Wheel of Fortune are also hard to place into Christian
mythos. Other cards, however, seem to mirror Christian theology so closely as to create question whether
they were deliberately altered from the originals as
a sop to Papal authority--examples being: The High
Priest (or Hierophant), Temperance, and Judgement.
Some of the terms we use for the modern Tarot are
actually anachronistic and proper historical terms include The Popess and The Pope.
Ancient Egypt hailed Thoth as the intellect behind
the disentanglement of chaotic cosmos and the very
design of the universe. He is said to be the god who
invented language, or hieroglyphics. Some believe
the Tarot to be a remnant of the actual, legendary
Book of Thoth and, drawing on the Egyptian mystery
school tradition, Aleister Crowley was not shy of his
opinion, naming his Tarot deck The Thoth Deck. The
parenthetical title of his Book of Thoth is The Tarot
of the Egyptians which latter sub-title appears at the
top of every single page. His deck is unique in having
three Magus cards depicting the three incarnations
of Thoth: Hermes, Mercury and Thoth. Crowley insisted that the corresponding Kabballic symbols be
imprinted on every corresponding card in his Thoth
Tarot deck.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY
In spite of Crowley’s whole-hearted acceptance of the
Egyptian origin, one of the easiest of theories to debunk
for the source of the Tarot is the one that claims some
Gypsies (or Rom) traveling through Egypt from India
brought it to Europe. First, the cards were already in
Europe when the gypsies arrived in the 15th century.
And there has been no evidence of such Gypsy presence in Egypt despite extensive investigations and the
‘Occam’s Razor’ explanation is the similarity of the truncated word ‘Egyptian’ with ‘gyp’, a phonetic contraction
such as you might find in the dialog of a Mark Twain
novel. To put the nail in the coffin of the Gypsy theory,
even today Gypsies have been found to prefer palmistry
readings for divination and no particular history or tradition of Tarot use has been recorded. Quite the opposite in fact: when they do use cards for fortune-telling,
these are usually a pack of normal playing cards.
The existing facts show playing cards were imported
from Islamic sources and, after picture cards of unknown
origin were added and the result titled Tarot, were used
for divination from perhaps as early as the 15th century
until today. Zell-Ravenheart in Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard tidily sums up the prevalent thought on the
provable age of the Tarot and its origins when he writes:
“Although many believe the Tarot to be of ancient origin, there is no record of these cards before the 14th
century when they first appeared in Italy” (232).
At this juncture we run out of hard facts and are left to
conclude that claims for the Egyptian origin of the Tarot
and its corresponding Kaballic symbolism derive chiefly,
if not entirely, from one source: a work by Comte de
Gebelin in the late 18th century during a ‘rage’ or resurgence of Egyptology, Freemasonry, and Hermeticism.

37

ISSUE 17

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Works Cited
Crowley, Aleister. The Book of Thoth (The Tarot of the Egyptians). WeiserBooks, 2006.
Gabby, Dame. A Tarot History Timeline. http://www.hermetics.org/pdf/tarot_history.pdf>.
Porter, Tracy. Tarot Companion: An Essential Reference Guide. 1st/Ed Paper. Llewellyn Publications, 2003.
Woods, Robin. Robin Wood Tarot, The Book. 1st/Ed Paper. Llewellyn Publications, 1998.
Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, et al. Grimoire For The Apprentice Wizard. New Page Books, 2004.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

38

ISSUE 17

Astronomy Hacks

By Robert Bruce Thompson & Barbara Fritchman Thompson
Published by O'Reilly Media Inc. June 2005
A Review by silverlocke

“Astronomy Hacks” is, in spite of the technical term in the title, simply a book of stargazing tips.
The word ‘hack’ is derived from the word “hacker” which unfortunately has nearly as bad a connotation in the present technical era as the word “witch” had in the dark ages, the Salem era and,
some would argue, right into the current era.
The original meaning of hacker describes one who--to put it in magickal terms--is able to bend
computer hardware and software to his will. A hacker could quickly write a program to solve a
transient problem, connect to a remote system that no one could access, or coax data off a floppy
disk that no one else was able to read. The hacker was truly a wizard and was revered for his
knowledge and helpfulness since he shared his hacks gladly, even eagerly. Idealized, he was a selfless servant of his computer community--the very model of the perfect wizard.
Divorced from the current derogatory use of the word hacker, a hack has come to mean an algorithm or modification which helps people solve a problem in a way they might not have thought of,
or a manner which does not follow the usual conventions. The Thompsons’ book contains 65 numbered ‘hacks’ on subjects in the following categories:
* Getting Started - The most common newbie questions, including choosing the best telescopes and
binoculars. It also helps one avoid the most common beginner mistakes, such as showing a white
light in an observing group. You can think of it as an essential astronomy FAQ for the beginner.
* Observing - Explore stellar magnitude, how to see the most possible detail in dim objects, and
tips for organizing your viewing records. There are hacks to enhance and protect your night vision,
tips on observing in urban environments, and how to observe dim objects in a field that contains a
bright object.
* Getting Started - The most common newbie questions, including choosing the best
telescopes and binoculars. It also helps one
avoid the most common beginner mistakes,
such as showing a white light in an observing group. You can think of it as an essential
astronomy FAQ for the beginner.
* Observing - Explore stellar magnitude,
how to see the most possible detail in dim
objects, and tips for organizing your viewing records. There are hacks to enhance and
protect your night vision, tips on observing
in urban environments, and how to observe
dim objects in a field that contains a bright
object.
* Scope - Tweak, modify, maintain, update,
and adapt your telescope. Realize its maximum performance and ease of use. Hacks
include how to eliminate astigmatism, clean
your mirror, and how to counterweight a
Dobsonian telescope.

Continued over page...
Johannes Hevelius observing with one of his telescopes (Selenographia, 1647)

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39

ISSUE 17

* Accessories - Choose, use, and maintain accessories. Contents of this section include how to use a
Barlow eyepiece, aligning your finder, and how to best utilize a computer to assist your viewing.
Although I found the text drops a little too quickly into acronyms at times, the book does contain a
very comprehensive index. Also, it is (unashamedly) biased towards the Dobsonian mounted telescope which is not a drawback if that’s the type you own or are planning on acquiring. And although
you would have to supplement this book with your viewing references, it would make an excellent
companion volume to any and all such reference works. Some subjects are dealt with in great depth-the module on magnitude is allotted 10 pages and I used this section of the book as reference material in Professor Moonwriter’s Astronomy 101 class.
Perhaps the very best hack of all is #1, written by Dr. Mary C. Chervenak and titled, “Don’t Give Up”.
Right up front she acknowledges the steepness of the astronomy learning curve and the frustration
factor. She advises to “...select a piece of sky and make it your own” and warns that the process will
be slow and arduous. This advice could very well apply to those of us here in the GSW in respect to
learning Magick--take it a piece at a time and, if necessary, select one subject and make it your own,
realizing that proficiency will not come quickly.

Hosting a Star Party
By. Prof. Moonwriter
Acting Dean of Cosmology

High summer is the perfect time for a Star Party. What’s a Star Party? I suppose there are two answers to that question, so read on, oh skywatcher!
A traditional star party is a semi-formal gathering of people who like to watch the stars. Many astronomy clubs hold star parties one or more times each year. The best ones are held in remote areas, far
from city lights, but many city-based astronomy clubs hold monthly parties as well.
What happens at this star party? You can count on seeing two things: astronomers and astronomy
buffs. Most will set up their ‘scopes and allow people to look through them, with the astronomer providing running commentary about what’s being viewed. This makes star parties a great way to learn
the night sky, and also a wonderful way to check out and work with different telescopes.
If you attend a traditional star party, dress warmly and bring a camp chair and something hot to
drink. You’ll also need to observe a few points of etiquette.
First, if you drive, park a distance away from the telescopes, and use parking lights. Avoid using lanterns or flashlights, which destroy night vision and make viewing more difficult. Wrap the end of your
flashlight with red cellophane; this creates a red light that allows you to read a planisphere or star
chart without ruining your dark adaptation.
Second—and this is a rule magick users will understand—never touch anyone’s telescope or other astronomy gear without being invited to do so. Don’t hesitate to ask, though—most astronomers love to
share the view and their knowledge. But don’t monopolize their time: they want to watch the stars,
too.
Third, don’t bring pets or small children. Both make noise, stir up dust, and knock over ‘scopes, none
of which will make you popular.
Fourth, do research in advance so you’ll have an idea of what’s in the current sky. This will maximize
the available sky-watching time.
And the other kind of star party? This one’s just for fun, and perfect for magickal folks. Invite your
friends over on a clear night. Spread tarps and blankets and lay on the ground, watching the heavens wheel overhead. Learn a few new constellations. Pull out a telescope or a pair of binoculars if you
have one—even a small pair of binocs will bring binary stars, the lunar craters, and the Andromeda
galaxy into view. Feast on moon-shaped sugar cookies and a thermos of hot chocolate. Add a ritual if
desired, but mostly just be there with joy… and awe.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

“Constellation” by Areeya

40

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WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

41

ISSUE 17

Proverbial Iron Bar in
a Loaf of Pixar Bread

By Starwynd Panther

Recently, I had the pleasure of viewing the Pixar film, Wall-E.
It began with an innocuous view of space. Having seen the
previews, I was expecting as much. What I did not expect
was the juxtaposition of these images with the music from
Hello, Dolly! This choice of music became a theme throughout
the film and would have its own influence on the characters,
especially Wall-E. We discover that the Earth has been completely trashed and robots created to clean it up, the last of
which is the accident-prone and lovable Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter EarthClass). Humans have abandoned the Earth, taking a celestial cruise for the duration
of the clean up process. Probes are constantly sent back to determine if the Earth is
again able to support life. Then mankind will return.
Meanwhile, Wall-E has not only been stacking the trash into enormous mounds, he
has been collecting different knickknacks and hoarding them until his room looks like
Ariel's hidden cave of treasures. One such piece is a video recording of Hello, Dolly!
and he watches it constantly, observing humans dancing and singing as well as walking together and holding hands. He longs for the kind of companionship they have.
When EVE (Extra-terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator), a probe, lands near him, searching
for signs of life, Wall-E slowly gains the courage to accompany her and she grudgingly
accepts his presence. Wall-E is determined not to abandon his new companion. He
even follows her back to the cruise ship where a twist of plot makes him an unlikely
hero.
Wall-E exemplifies the idea that, "everything is interconnected; everything is alive."
A common robot develops sentience and personality. He cares. He searches for connection. Wall-E is alive. This film shows that life continues even under the most unlikely of circumstances. Though humans have abandoned the Earth, the Earth has not
abandoned life and mankind will find a stronger connection to Mother Earth than they
expected. I highly suggest that everyone see Wall-E.
Pixar has cleverly hidden deep messages about ecology
and humanity within an adorable children's film.

©

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Eve® and Wall-E® are Registered
Trademarks of Disney / Pixar.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

Books & movies

FrogsDancing

Books:
The HitchHiker’s Guide the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams
Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs. - It was ‘required’ reading in my pre-teen,
early teen years *sigh..*
Movies/TV/Cable Series:
Star Trek in all of it’s incarnations
War of the Worlds - the original
Lost is Space - the movie and the series
Armageddon
Independence Day
The X-Files - the series and the movie
Men In Black
My Favorite Martian

Jymi X/0

Spaceballs
E.T.
Close Encounters
Apollo 13
The 4400
Galaxy Quest
Far Scape

Cartoon/Anime:
Star Blazers

The Martian Chronicles (Ray Bradbury)
Star Wars IV, V and VI (Haven’t seen the others, don’t want to, can’t make me)
Galaxy Quest! (Right with you on that, Frogs!! One of the best movies ever in any genre!)
Mars Attacks
Star Trek (I like ‘em all, but TNG is my favorite)
Dr. Who (Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor)
The HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy (Frogs seems to have my main favorites covered)
Johnny Mnemonic (Ok, William Gibson isn’t exactly cosmology, but it is science fiction and “Net Space”
is the next final frontier...)
The Matrix (see above)
The Illuminatis! Trilogy
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre...oh wait, that’s 11.

Silverlocke

Books:
A Canticle for Leibowitz ~Walter M Miller
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? ~Philip K Dick
Glory Road ~Robert Heinlein
The Stainless Steel Rat ~Harry Harrison
Voyage to Arcturus ~David Lindsay
Movies:
Barbarella (1968)
Blade Runner (1982)
Logan's Run (1976)
Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Star Trek (The Voyage Home) (1986)
Star Wars (The Empire Strikes Back) (1980)
Zardoz (1974)

Artemis Gryphon Snowhawk

Books:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny
The World of Tiers by Philip Jose Farmer

TV Shows:
3rd Rock From The Sun
The Jetsons
Lost in Space
Mork & Mindy
My Favorite Martian
Outer Limits
Science Fiction Theatre
Twilight Zone
Star Trek (TOS/TNG)

Film:
Mushroom Planet series
Anything Star Trek (especially the original series)
War Games

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Starwynd Panther
Books:

The Rowan series by Anne McCaffery.
The Four Lords of the Diamond series by Jack Chalker
The Hitchhiker’s Guide series by Douglas Adams
A Wrinkle in Time series (esp A Wind in the Door) by Madeline L’Engle

Film/TV:
3rd Rock from the Sun
The Secret Life of Alex Mack
Hitchhiker’s Guide
DS9
Moonwriter

Books:
The Martian Chronicles and the short story "R is for Rocket," by Ray Bradbury
2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clark
Space, by James Michener
The Right Stuff, by Tom Wolfe
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L'Engle
Space Cadet, by Robert Heinlein
The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
October Sky, by Homer Hickam
A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking
Honorable mention: Rite of Passage, by Alexei Panshin
Film/TV:
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Right Stuff
Contact
Carl Sagan's Cosmos series
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
The Day the Earth Stood Still
October Sky
"To Serve Man," an episode of the old Twilight Zone series
Aliens (2nd in the series)
Star Wars (the best is probably episode 5: "The Empire Strikes Back")
Guilty/Honorable mention: The V miniseries: Nazi-like lizard aliens meet cocky
Earthlings with tight pants and corny one-liners. Hilarity ensures.

WGM SPECIAL EDITION #1: COSMOLOGY

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ISSUE 17

We hope you have enjoyed the Cosmology Special Edition of

Whispering Grey Matters.

“Spacetime”
by Xander Gael

Next issue:
Things get

DARKER...

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