It is so great to have you here!
This is where I will share my ideas about helping people discover the connection between the mind, consciousness, astronomy and science fiction.
The Wolf Moon Observatory
This article is about The Wolf Moon Observatory. I will post new images here (once I start getting some I feel someone else might enjoy). For now, here are a few notes about the new observatory and an introduction to our astronomy gear.
“Meraki”
While my previous posts discuss flow, creativity, and mental agility, meraki (pronounced may-rah-key) simply relates to putting something of ourselves into our work. A Greek word, “meraki” involves sharing our love for our creative work to such an extent that we open a window into our centers of consciousness, living essences, or souls.
My Aliens!
I love meeting aliens and getting involved with the inner workings of their societies. As early as 1970, I remember sitting in a tree house and wishing a spaceship would land in my backyard. (Don’t forget: when I was young, scientists hadn’t ruled out the idea of life on Mars and Venus. People actually wondered about life in Venusian swamps and along the Martian canals!)
Alas, as far as I can tell, no spaceships have touched down even though my enormous, six-acre backyard is totally standing by to service them! (“Why,” my neighbors ask, “do you need a runway, landing lights, and a vertical assembly building?” Or, “Was that Elon Musk over at your house again? How often do billionaires drop by for pointers on rocket ship maintenance?”)
We can’t be alone in this universe. As an astronomer, I’ve observed the Milky Way and distant galaxies for over five decades. No kidding. I glanced through my first telescope in 1972 and ultimately earned my Master Observer’s Certificate in 2019. Along the way, astronomers have discovered several thousand extrasolar planets. Some of these planets are even in their solar system’s Goldilocks zone. (Not too hot, not too cold.) This allows the planet (or moon) to have liquid water at least some time in its year. And water means life. Guaranteed. (Probably.)
Mental Agility for Peak Performance
Mental agility for peak performance
Boost Your Brainpower: The benefits of boosting and biohacking your mental agility.
Are you ready to fine-tune your mindset?
You’re reasonable. You’re rational. Your brain is awesome! Too bad it doesn’t always help you follow through with your intentions. Fortunately, you can grow and enhance your abilities. That’s right. You can consciously alter your mindset and body chemistry to influence your mind. After that, you can reach any goal you set your mind to. So, why not push your limits?
Mental agility lets us think rapidly and solve problems. Better. Faster. Stronger. Doing things we normally can’t. People with superior mental agility have a talent for thinking and understanding new things quickly and easily. On top of that, they often maintain a flexible mindset that helps them deal with change and challenging times.
Intuition
Center yourself. Decelerate. Focus. As you slow toward living in the moment, how often do you sense the trace undercurrents of reality? In each week, how often do you experience moments of synchronicity and insights beyond the physical? How about all those flurries of small revelations or even larger epiphanies?
If that wasn’t meaningless gibberish, you already hold an advantage in life. And that’s before we discuss boosting your intuitive knowledge! So, what is intuition? What is your natural aptitude? What’s the best way to safeguard your talent while also turning your intuition up a notch?
News Alert! Ruffian!
News Alert: 6 April 2022! Hey, everyone! Inherit the Night has a new assistant editor! Please meet the newest addition to the staff at Hawk’s Grove Press. This is “Ruffian”! Updates to follow as he grows!
Is Creative FLOW the Secret to Happiness?
Are you ready? I’m here to help bring out one of your hidden superpowers.
Time drops away. You feel more aware and awake than the people around you. The small room you’re in gains a paradoxical feeling of open vastness. Ordinary things sparkle in fresh mystery. Optimism yields to joy, and everything you’re doing feels more real than ordinary life.
Flow isn’t just a time-tested productivity hack.
This is your superpower!
These experiences don’t have to be fleeting or ephemeral. In any activity, complete immersion can spawn a state of creative flow. As with moving water, creative flow lets work and play sweep along in a steady stream. While this writing skill can start as a trickle, why not attempt some whitewater rapids?
Are You Ready to Unleash Your Inner Creative Genius?
Continuing on your creative journey is easier than you think!
If you’re looking for a way to unleash your creativity, why not immerse yourself in the work of a master author?
In a recent article, I discussed ways to expand your creativity. While I didn’t hold anything back, diving into novels that demonstrate ingenuity and imagination might be another path toward higher realms of creativity.
Great authors are known for their imagination, and some of them are so creative that they have changed the face of literature. So, the following lists showcase collections of novels that may jump-start your passion or at least push you toward giving in to the madness and getting creative on your own.
And don’t worry. I don’t have any “affiliate links,” so the following links merely allow you to visit these books on Amazon. Most of these authors either redefined the world of fiction, created a new genre, or totally set the pace for their peers.
Take a look!
Let’s Work Together to Boost Your Creativity!
Good news. We are all creative. Creative thinking is part of being human. Really. I’ve checked. If you can combine intelligence, a touch of divergent thinking, and a desire to experience new things, you’re on your way! That’s right. Every human being has an innate connection with consciousness that allows us to tap into a unique inner pool of resources.
If your rate of new idea generation delivers more unusual concepts than you can use, you’re already a creative person. But what if your intuition and bubbling creative juices tell you you could be more creative?
Citizens of Earth: Basic Guidelines for Extraterrestrial Contact.
Are You Ready for some Out of this World Diplomacy?
Extraterrestrials. First Contact. Aliens. Such concepts have a way of frightening people or making them uncomfortable. But what if I suggested that the truth is much more interesting than fiction? The idea of aliens has been around for as long as humans have existed, and it’s not hard to see why. They are mysterious beings from another world who could be anything at all.
Astronomy from Backyard to Beyond. Are You Ready to Go Stargazing?
The article is about my journey in astronomy and discusses building a telescope or options for buying a used or new telescope.
Look up! The universe awaits!
Sure, the new James Webb Space Telescope is cool. But astronomy’s most important instrument is the one you have in your backyard. Seriously! What if your backyard encompassed 11 billion light-years?
Astronomy is an exciting hobby, but astronomers, young and old, need to make sure they have the proper equipment to enjoy it. Many options are available when buying a new telescope, modifying a used telescope, or building one of your own. Still, all three require some research and know-how. This brief guide will point you in the right direction for getting the best telescope possible. As you will see, quite a few factors are involved, and some are more important than people realize.
First off, what is a telescope? A telescope is a device that uses mirrors or lenses to magnify the light of distant stars and galaxies. When it works, it is like having a window to the deepest universe.
Animal Consciousness (And this time there will be a Quiz.)
So, if your pets are mammals, birds, or octopuses, they are conscious to one degree or another.
But how conscious are they? How aware? Do some pets share our wide range of consciousness? And what about our proactive ability to raise our awareness levels? Do any of our pets show the necessary persistence and patience to learn and grow?
Is Consciousness Our Ultimate Reality? (An In-Depth Guide to Consciousness.)
Do you delight in some of the small, beautiful things nature has to offer? Honeybees. A mineral crystal’s perfect symmetry? The comical way those squirrels steal from your bird feeder? How many times a day do you find yourself smiling and feeling happy in your heart?
My story characters live in worlds where consciousness, intuition, and the power of summative epiphany are vital factors in everyday survival. Along with them, I routinely marvel at the universe and consciousness. And I’ve been asking myself if you might as well.
Image by Gerd Altmann
Small Things Add Up to Big Things. The Ten Phase Publishing Process at Hawk’s Grove Press!
The fun thing is, I’ve traveled all over the planet, and I have rarely met anyone who reads for pleasure and who isn’t also interested in writing stories of their own. Wouldn’t you like to make up a series of your own characters? What kinds of situations would you put them in? And wouldn’t it be fun to design their entire world and society from scratch?
The Easy Behind the Scenes Guide to Opening an Independent Bookstore.
This is an article about building an independent used book store from scratch. This was “Applegarth Books” in Millington, Tennessee.
Insider Secrets to Writing Great Science Fiction Characters (with examples)!
Whether you are a writer or a reader, every story must revolve around character and character change. That’s what helps us understand ourselves and what it means to be human. Now, for this to be super useful, I will hit a few characterization basics on the way to naming some examples of my favorite characters from various books, TV, and film.