The essential qualities are being a magenta
flower place to contemplate man's evolution off earth. The first step is
biological, after death, and traveling to Mars. Has twangers, which I'd like
to animate, with sound and user interactivity. A place to contact spirits that
aren't visible on earth. Think about the consequences before making mistakes.
Could have color healing. Have Mars globe at N pole, like altar. And flower
superimposed on the floor below. Or imagine what?
9/27/92
{First expression of the temple. See also the context
of this vision.} Saw massive fern arising from mid-space. Epiphanetic
(spelling? Dictionary says epiphyte, a plant that rests on another but gets
nourishment from air) plant growing intense orchid. A flower. Moist glistening
petals and some intense markings. Read them sometime. Dwell on interior of
flower. Make it your chapel and place of worship. Could even architect it
as a space. But see it wither as any flower on earth. Drops down dead. But
the seed of the flower is the blue light powered by the orchid essence. It's
hard to have a vision of a point that does not exist in space but see the
emanation. And that is the true power center for these cell spirits that are
preparing.
See the orchid architecture stamens? pistols? During construction twang
them with purple paint to daub interior with tiger lily marks. Probably 5
twangers. Drawing flexible metal (arrow pointing at the twangers). Children
can play and make music on the climbing toy instrument.
3/8/93 The magenta is of course the magenta flower temple where I
can always go to meet Elo (the evolutionary being). How I wish I could just
make one. I must make a virtual walk-through temple with color healing abilitys
{sic, abilities}. I wonder if it could be in Shasta cavern, accessed through
the reassembled shards
of witch's crystal ball?
12/18/94 Temple celebration whackers idea. This would be good: "I
just remembered the sparkly, confetti-like consistency of our 'bodies' or
should I say 'manifesting presences?' Which also had the sound of crescendoes
of tiny bells. But it is important for us to stay grounded on earth, where,
strangely, there is less awareness. Simply loving intention and sending to
earth. Earth warming. Towards the end, we each took our turn getting a 'full-feather'
aura cleansing. And I could see we each felt very fine. I sang 'Alleluia'
to close."
11/20/97 Spent some time composing an idea for building a cathedral
on Mars. Really turned on. Must start it on lookout. Lookout to Mars, designing
a sacred space on Mars. Wondering if it is cowboys and indians all over again.
The ethical issues of building on mars. And the missionary all over again.
And the men (cathedral phallic symbol) again. It brings up every issue, all
over again. Could link from every issue I find here on earth at the lookout,
to possibly taking that with us out into the universe. Maybe that is the big
issue of the millennium, what are we going to take with us to space? Already
we are littering our own earth orbit. And have left stuff on the moon. Is
this good or bad? Right or wrong? To be repeated or guarded against? Maybe
the contest should really be broadened to "design a space on Mars." Go to
NASA site and get some pictures from Mars for starters. What kind of lookout
would you build on the moon? A sacred space? Terraform the whole thing? Start
with a lookout outpost to observe and learn before any alterations at all.
11/23/97 Design a millennium visitor center. Wholeo
is the "it" to be moved. Devoted to what it would take to satisfy
ecologists that we are ready for takeoff. When so, could move it to Mars.
It will be an answer to the pilgrim's call for cathedrals. It could have an
arc or bridge stairs to an intermediate level, or maybe two intermediate level
rooms. The square library. The haptihedron
web room. and the dome consciousness room. Maybe the bottom rooms would be
waiting rooms in case Wholeo too full and wished to restrict access.
11/25/97 About T2k and the Mars discussion.
This is a perfect issue for the way we should celebrate and ritualize and
observe this as a primitive rite of passage to satisfy the cravings of our
psyche, while exercising our intellect and powers of communication. Isn't
the challenge to put our technology in service of our survival rather than
as desecrator in name of short term goals? Just like the peace/do-good is
complementary, I see these arguments as so. We do now have the opportunity
to look before we leap before going to Mars. We should have respect. Forests
and glaciers might not be appropriate there. Yes go, yes expand, yes propagate,
but do so with as great insight and adaptability as possible. And preserve
wilderness, just as we value it here.
12/18/97 Interesting that life is seen as disequilibrium. Read that
in Fuller and also this morning. Mars systems are in equilibrium where there
is no life. Huh? Isn't there always equilibrium but we can't see it? Isn't
life a balancing act, where the more lively, the more dynamic balancing required?
O maybe they mean all the accidents and deaths and unbalanced things we do.
Tight timespace focus does look unbalanced. And maybe that's where we want
to focus?
- NASA will launch new robotic missions to Mars in 1998, 2001, and 2003.
- {This is the main entry, by Austin Repath. See note above.} Cathedral building
in my opinion was the great achievement of the second millennium, and this
could be the crowning achievement of the third millennium: "Cathedral Building"
on Mars .
Viewing the pictures being sent back by the Carl Sagan Pathfinder from
Mars has been the ultimate in armchair travel, and it has reawakened in
me one of my wildest dreams: to bring life to the barren landscape of Mars.
I first read about the possibility of terraforming Mars years ago in a science
magazine.
Terraforming by the way is the term used to describe the process of changing
the lifeless surface of a planet into a warm oxygen filled, water flowing
world that could contain life. It would take several generations, draw on
the resources of the nations of the world: the result -the creation of a
world, sister to Earth -a place of new possibilities.
It would involve a global cooperation beyond anything we have yet achieved.
For what end? To give life to a dead planet -as close to a cosmic genesis
as the collective human spirit is capable of. For what purpose? To give
ourselves a global sense of empowerment, of self-worth beyond imagining.
The Middle Ages spent themselves in building cathedrals that took generations
to build. They left behind them fluted towers of delicate beauty -a source
of inspiration for those that followed.
Our age has spent itself in weaponry. Silos with nuclear missiles pointed
skyward, warplanes, tanks, "smart" bombs: sources of fear and terror have
we built for ourselves.
And yet it is not too late. We could yet offer our children a legacy of
a great possibility -beyond anything ever dreamt of before. We could pass
on to them a task of real awe and beauty: a task of cosmic "cathedral building."
The challenge then for our generation is to have the courage and foresight
to initiate a Mars genesis project. Of course the reaction of many people
would be swift and overwhelming. "We must first deal with matters here on
earth." There is global pollution, deforestation, homelessness, abuse, overpopulaton.
The list is almost endless. All legitimate reasons why such a venture should
not be undertaken.
But perhaps even the attempt at such a project is by its very nature an
essential part of the solution to the earth threatening situation we find
ourselves in today. We do have to deal with pollution, wars, the economy,
but such a Mars project would create a larger context.
It would balance the sense of desperation surrounding the world's problems,
by offering all of us a part in a task that has new possibility, new creative
challenges, and a new frontier. The human race needs a larger vision, something
to draw out from each of us something larger that our own self interest
- a purpose truly worthy of our best effort: a creative act of daring and
magnitude.
Imagine the people of earth cooperating together to bring into being a
sister planet for earth. We, the people of earth, taking a planet that is
barren, without a protective atmosphere, with no apparent life, and warming
it: turning its subterrean ice into lakes and rivers, wrapping it in a protective
blanket of cloud and gas, planting its surface with plants and trees, bring
to it forests, animals, and of course as caretakers and "parenters", human
beings. All possible, some scientists at Nasa claim in four to six generations.
What an accomplishment for our species!
But think of the impact such an enterprise would have on the human consciousness.
Herein would lie the major return for the people of earth for their investment.
At present we appear to be gripped by negativity and hopelessness. We see
the need to change, yet seem unable to act, unsure if we can, in truth,
make a difference. This could all be changed.
What we need is an undertaking that would galvanize us into action, that
would give us a better sense of ourselves as a species of greatness and
power - worthy to be who we are. Involving ourselves in something so daring,
so grand in its concept and design as giving birth to another earth-like
world would transform the negative view of ourselves that has filled the
collective unconscious over centuries of war and inhumanity.
Would we not, when we look towards Mars, have reflected back to us from
the heavens a view of ourselves so empowering and positive that the world
around us could not only be restored, but transformed into the best of both
worlds.
We need to risk sending out the life form that we are with all its weakness
and imperfection into the heavens with the hope and expectation that the
life form, of which we are hopefully only an early imperfect model, will
evolve and grow. I believe that this is more than my wildest dream. I think
it is the task of the next millennium.
- The transformation of Mars into a living planet is a quite a millennial
fantasy, and one which would appear to be increasingly within our reach (but
beyond our grasp?).
Is there a primary reference piece, or comparative scholarly piece published
on "space millennialism"? How about research on science fiction and millennialism?
The 20th century has been the genesis of this millennial dream to transform
Mars barren beauty. So it is quite likely that in 2999, when that transformation
has been completed, that generation will look back to our time to value
the genesis of this millennial dream.
I recall a member of "The Millennial Project"-- initiated by Marshall
Savage, one posted to this list. They envision a 10-century "plan" to colonize
the galaxies, including Mars.
Have you read Kim Stanley Robinson's award-winning Mars trilogy, Red
Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars? My wife got me on this earlier
this year. I am in the middle of Green Mars now.
Red Mars tells a post 2033 story of how the first pioneers to Mars
seek to transform it into an Earthlike planet, but are opposed by some of
their own to preserve the planet's hostile beauty. The first book of the
trilogy ends in cosmic disorder, as 30 years of settlements are destroyed
by sabatoge, and the rebels take refuge in Mar's south pole to start all
over again, with the first generation of children born on Mars.
In other words, not only will the dream to terraform Mars receive criticism
on Earth as you recognize, but it is likely to be opposed to some degree
on Mars!
But that shouldn't stop us from dreaming. Maybe you should join the team
working on the major motion picture version of the Robinson Mars trilogy.
- This is a great discussion. I thrill reading each line and probably will
reread it over and over again. I love the ideas. {This comment is by Caroling.}
I extend them in two main directions. One is to remember the Star Trek
Next Generation episode where terraforming was going terribly wrong. They
finally contacted a kind of species of living beings that depended on conditions
that now were being destroyed by the terraforming. With our technology we
need to extend our awareness and ethics. If we find something like that
on Mars, would we be able to meet the challenge peacefully?
The other direction is that the new cathedrals can be built virtually on
the web. The more extensive our simulations, the better our ability to learn
from past mistakes. How about a "Build a cathedral on Mars" web expo for
the Millennium?
Having written that, I could write way too much more about how different
people all over earth could contribute to that and refine each other's contributions.
But first, is "cathedral" the right word? I think of other sacred space
names and wonder if a more generic word would communicate to more of us.
There is temple, kiva, dome, zendo, ... on and on. Maybe the contest could
be called "Create a sacred space on Mars."
- ... and who is it that has determined that Mars is not ALREADY a "sacred
space"??
- I'd say space travel.
- Space travel is great, but just a logical extension of vehicles that move
people in space. I don't think it can match the revolution in communication
that Web publishing can enable. Future generations certainly would value it
if we can keep it free and supportive to individuals. If we let it be syndicated
like radio and TV, they'll have to find another way to communicate.
Space travel puts your "anywhere" into perspective. For instance, with
pulleys and pneumatic tubes, certain department stores had mastered the
direct communication issue a century ago, for communications within one
large building. The Net provides for quick communication, so long as you're
on or near this planet. Since that applies to everybody we know, proximity
isn't currently an issue.
However, if we go off to another star system without developing Faster
Than Light communication, proximity again becomes an issue, and instant
communication is no longer universal among humankind.
(As if a majority of humankind TODAY had ever used a telephone ... But
we're talking about abstractions.)
What makes space travel so monumental is it's the first time we know of
that Earth's biological entities get to infest -- I mean, inhabit -- other
chunks of cosmic real estate.
- I agree with what you say. {Comment by Caroling.} Hmmm, Mars, perhaps in
common with all spaces, is sacred. Yes. I can't find fault with that. So that
sending rovers banging into its rocks was violating a sanctuary, much as we
have dishonored earth. Building on Mars has got to be more of an incursion
than exploration.
Or we could say that noone (we can detect) is living there yet and we do
need living spaces and that a living space built for the purpose of contemplating
the sacred seems good to us. You believe traveling to space is the most
important thing in a thousand years. So how do you propose the people go
there? Perhaps they could never land their space vehicle, but hang forever
in orbit? They would need to take care not to cast a shadow on the surface?
What is the way to go?
- Space-Travellers,
We ARE stardust ... life began on earth 3.8 billion years ago, almost as
soon as the ocean reached biologically sustainable temperatures. The Mars
rock simply illustrates that the material of life is in endless space-travel.
Go out and breathe the breeze. Stop pretending that space-travel is the
rapture.
Please, those of you who think space-travel is a great indicative achievement,
spare a thought for the rest of the galaxy. If we cannot get our own house
in order, if we cannot care properly for our own green and verdant planet,
don't spread us like a carcinoma across the trackless wastes. Hubris and
dominion is no gift to the universe. Learn some respect for nature.
true love to you all
- "The planet Mars is where the action will be in the next century." --Robert
Zubrin. Here is a web address for Robert Zubrin's "Mars Direct" plan. http://www.magick.net/mars.
Zubrin, who is a space propulsion expert, also has a book published on his
plan, entitled, The Case for Mars: The plan to settle the Red Planet and
why we must.
{Zubrin's book on this page http://www.nw.net/mars/,
has a link to a Mars society page, http://www.marssociety.org/
that looks pretty live! Download a Mars art toolkit (for Windows). Here's
a space one: http://www.space.com/spacewatch/
}
- I like this statement very much.
To the person touting the Mars-colonization ideas of Dr. Zubrin: On this
list, we pretty well beat this subject to death about 1.4 years ago. I felt
that we did a fairly good job of illustrating the fallacies in Zubrin's
rap.
I have given this subject some more thought since then and I'd like to
add a few things to the discussion.
1) "Colonization" is a loose term that should be clarified by those speaking
on this subject. I feel it is sometimes used to cover too broad a concept.
For example, it would be one thing to have a few structures on the moon
or Mars where the inhabitants are only temporary residents. In this sense,
a "space colony" would be more like a research station. On the other hand,
if people were to take up permanent resident on a non-Earth body, this would
be more akin to the concept of "colony" as it has been commonly used.
2) A "colony" would be a giant leap because it implies that people would
be born there. The real test of the durablity of the colony would not rest
with the original colonists. The subsequent generations of inhabitants would
determine the viability of the colony. The first thing that young people
do when they gain the ability to think for themselves is to question the
beliefs and values of their parents. What would it take to avoid this scenario:
a kid grows up after being born on Mars, then learns about the Earth. S/he
learns about the warmth, the lush vegetation, the winds, rivers. oceans,
wildlife, etc. and says, "Wow, I could have been born there? Get me out
of this hell-hole!"
3) There is a very large gulf between popular images about space travel
(e.g. Star Trek, Star Wars, etc.) and what we actually know. Often it seems
that people assume that because we can imagine such things as WARP speed
and de-materialized/re-materialized travellers, that we must inevitably
be able to accomplish these things. In fact, we don't have a clue about
many of these things and may never be able to overcome some of the technical
problems associated with space travel (especially beyond our own solar system).
4) I do think that space colonization is important for the human race (even
if we never make it out of our own solar system), but it will happen over
a much longer time-frame most people think. Terraforming and other necessary
preparations will take a long long time. Rather than something for the next
century or even the next millennium, it will probably develop into a viable
artform over many thousands of years.
5) One of the best things about space colonization would be this: it will
necessitate the dissolution of the system of sovereign states. A Human Federation
(not just a world federation) will be required before establishing long
term colonies is space. Sovereignty can never be permitted for any of these
colonies, and this cannot be enforced without a supra-national governmental
body. Without this legal structure in place, imagine a very bitter generation
(several generations after the colony is established) of young people on
Mars (humans now Martians with nuclear weapons) holding the Earth hostage
for more shipments of Dove bars and Elvis memorabilia.
- I do too. I think I will turn it into a bumper sticker:
"Earth First--we'll strip mine the others later."
Just kidding! -:)
But if we are talking about the course of the next 10 centuries, why can't
humanity embrace both/and, not either/or--both Earth and Mars, rather than
just Earth Only.
Why should we consign our descendents to just a terrestial future? Why
not carry the ethic of respect for life throughout the solar system and
beyond?
- i think that what he is saying, in his proposals regarding humans inhabiting
mars, is that if you REALLY know how much radioactive waste ALREADY exists
around the planet, in makeshift depositories, if you could really visualize
just how many millions of cubic football-field containers exist with radioactive
materials and their thousands-of-years half-life...............then and only
then............ could you begin to understand "man's" aspirations toward
mars and other potentially habitable planets.....
sigh. well. at least rock n roll will never die.
