If you want to see photos from my daily walk along the Hunter River bank in NSW, just click here.
I have also posted photos from my journey through Greece and the Middle East – click here.
If you want to see photos from my journey to Nauru on the Flotillas of Hope project – click here.
If after death is the same as before death our life is bookended by “nothingness”. If our longevity is 84 years, our life is as a night fly’s blink compared to Earth’s age. So, taking a planetary point of view, our life blink is book ended by “nothingness”and our body is smaller than a grain of sand. However, within that grain of body and in that night fly blink are infinite worlds within worlds within. Maybe going within will show the “nothingness” is the All is the One?
When I go on my daily walk I’m becoming aware of a whole new world that appears in the slow pace I take at times. I become aware of my breath and the sensation of each step on the ground. As I do this I become aware of a silence within me which makes space and allows the sounds of birds singing , the sensation of the breeze touching my skin, the smell of recently mowed grass to enter.
Of course my “monkey mind” is still climbing and jumping around in the space within my skull but somehow because of the slow walk and the effort to “be” in the moment of the walk makes the monkey appear like a distant shadow puppet. Yes, my walk is a meditation.
Walking is a journey both on the road and its side gutters and beneath my skin between breaths and sighs of wonder at what is around me.
A journey is going from point A to point B via the whole alphabet of being. The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of a journey is where the snake bites its own tail, a gentle ouraboros.
It all depends on one’s awareness. So, one can make a journey from one’s lounge room and go across the borders marked by a door into a kitchen. It is no different to travelling in time by simply dipping a biscuit in a cup of tea as Proust did in his “Remembrence of Things Past”. A journey can also be a trip across the planet on a boat or a plane, a train or a bus, on foot or a bicycle. It can also be a journey to the Moon or to Mars in a space ship, or a trip to Saturn and Jupiter or Andromeda in one’s mind.
Star Gazing is not only looking up at the night sky and seeing how small we are in the midst of all the galaxies and stars. It is also seeing into the meaning of those star gazing moments, those moments that coincide with a particular configuration of planets, Sun, Moon and stars. Yes, Star Gazing for me exists in that space between Astronomy and Astrology. I look up into the night heavens and I see the stars above and I wonder why am I here looking and living.
I look at a horoscope ( I also call it a Sky Map) and I see the symbolic language of these same stars. When I say Stars I also mean the planets and the Sun and Moon. It is an easy shorthand. Star gazing becomes communing….communicating in star language. Astrology for me is a language, a way of communicating with the deeper parts of my and your nature for I believe that we all are ultimately made of star matter. While I look up at the Stars and gaze at the light that departed from its source billions of years ago, I recognise that I gaze at old, old light and in a way time travelling. The youngest light, including sunlight is only 8 minutes old when it touches my skin. Alpha Centauri light, the closest star to us, is only about 4 years old. Star light has journeyed a long time to arrive through my eyes into me and you.
However, strange as it may sound, when I speak of astrology, I’m not really talking about the balls of rock and gas that orbit our Sun – Sol as planets or about the physical stars and galaxies that surround us. The stars and planets I speak of astrologically have nothing to do with those we know astronomically and through a telescope. The only connection astrology has with the astronomical stars is the coincident time of happening. Carl Jung coined a term to explain events that happen with no apparent physical causal connection – synchronicity. This word is made of two Greek words syn – same and chronos – time...synchronicity…things that happen at the same time. The important addition that Jung makes with this is that the connection between events is subjectively meaningful for the person. I think of a person and I hear a song with the person’s name in it and then almost simultaneously, the person rings me on the phone. This is very meaningful for me because I haven’t seen or heard from this person in a long time. The song, the thinking of the person and the telephone call are not connected in any physical scientifc way, but they do connect in a very meaningful way in my mind and heart. This is synchronicity. Astrology for me is synchronicity written in Sky Script. The physical stars are connected to the stars within my inner universe, my deeper intuitions and feelings that struggle to find a way to speak. The star language of astrology gives these promptings a voice.
In “Journeys and Star Gazing” there will be stories that on the surface have nothing to do with star gazing but later posts will show where the star matter is embedded. Other times, there will be lyrics, poems, some quotes I like, pictures I like and just stuff I like. Here you will find stories about various human rights campaigns that I have been involved in, including the Cultural Stomp, 1997, the Woomera at Easter, 2002 and Baxter at Easter, 2003 Actions. There is also an extensive coverage of the Flotillas of Hope Journey to Nauru in 2004.
In “Journeys and Star Gazing” you may read posts that include both a journey and an astrological reading of the journey. All in all, diverse alchemies of serendipity in an ambience of astrological allusion and reference.
I take lots of photos on my daily 7 – 8 km walks (weather permitting) and I share these with my Twitter tribe.
I walk along Hunter River bank, so click here for a page with photos from that walk.
I also have a page with photos from my neighbourhood and home, just click here.
Follow me on Twitter here
Follow me on Blue Sky here
@mantikos.bsky.social
Follow me on Mastodon here
https://aus.social/invite/cDSKdxhb
It would be great to hear from you.
Stavros
“Holy God, Holy the Firm, Holy the Immortal, have Mercy on us”
as I was taught to do when I sang in the Orthodox Church choir as a child.
Thank you for visiting Journeys and Star Gazing. Here there's stories of my various journeys, some inner but mostly outer; photos, song lyrics, poems, astrological readings and interpretations, I Ching speculations, quotes from people I admire and some cool graphics. There are reflections and archival material on various human rights campaigns I have been involved in over the years. With these, some have a "Star Gazing" interpretive filter. 
Journeys and Star Gazing 
Dear Stavros,
I am so glad I found you! It is always so helpful to read some things. I especially like Rumi and The Rules of Life. It is a good way to start the day!
Shelley
Hello Shelly
It’s always good to know that one’s effort to communicate across the internet via a website is useful to someone. Thanks for telling me that this set of “wiseacrings” of mine have given you a good start to your day. I hope that it is for many more.
all the best
stavros
Steve, Ijust logged onto this section of your website. I like your meditation on journeying, even a short walk, and the photographs are beautiful. The one of the new moon reflected over water is haunting.Now I will look at more of your writings.
hey, nice blog…really like it and added to bookmarks. keep up with good work
Dear Stavros,
Hello, I work for a media organization– I am wondering if it is possible to find out some more information about the “Refugee Silent Welfare Committees” in Dadaab — you posted their message on your blog. I would be interested in getting in touch with someone from the committee to ask more about the conditions they describe. Would this be possible? Of course, I understand that they would want their identities protected. Kindly let me know.
Thank you.
Your website is cool!!
I ought to admit that your blog is very interesting. I have spent a lot of my free time reading your content. Thanks a lot!
Hey, thanks. Do you have a blog?
Hi Stavros – thank you for the information about Dodona. I was told by a well-known ‘celebrity’ psychic that I had a past life their as one of the barefoot priestesses who lived at the Oracle of Zeus interpreting the rustling of the leaves to visitors seeking answers and guidance. I am just researching the history of the site and gathering photos as I plan to visit one day as part of my journey.
Best wishes for your journey
Claire
Hi Claire
Sometimes those rusting leaves come as emails / posts. I was just taking a break from brain storming some ideas for a novel. One of the ideas that arrived fresh on the page was a woman Survivor from another world who crashes into ours. Don’t know if I’d use it, but in my break, I get your message!
Out of the blue, a message from a high priestess of Dodona. Time does not matter when it comes to stuff like this.
Best wishes on your journey – maybe you’d like to post some of your photos here … Photos from a Dodona High priestess 🙂
stavros
Very unique concepts involving the over all pattern of life and all it’s little crevices of hidden truths.I am a research astrologer that involved Gematria in combination with a persons personal astrological chart where words and phrases could be extracted . I did work on known world events and had few pieces published but no one very interested in the work. I think it was to involved and no way to make it a simple ,maybe two paragraph explanation.
mch
Hi
Thanks for your kind thoughts.
I’m thinking about posting some of my ideas concerning mundane events. Right now I’m looking at my country’s Prime Minister’s chart and will be layering it with Australia’s horoscope to see if there are any clues as to what may happen in next year’s election.
I would love to read some of your work. Is it possible for you to email some to me? Who knows there may be a synchronistic connection between your Gematria and the events that are happening in my and your life. My email is dodona777@yahoo.com.au
stavros
Very great post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to mention that I’ve really enjoyed surfing around your weblog posts. After all I’ll
be subscribing for your rss feed and I’m hoping you write once more soon!
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it’s rare to see a great blog like this one nowadays..
Thanks for your kind comments. I didn’t pay for the theme it’s one of those freebies with WordPress.
Hi Stavros I am working on series which includes a story on refugees at Woomera. Can u plse contact me
I sent you an email but you mau not have received it yet. Please write to dodona777@yahoo.com.au
Greetings, I think the Universe present us with information, and different types of information, according to how well we can understand them, and by using the best means they can, specially with this digital era. I have no idea how I found this page, but I was reading on Greek oracles, mythology, and spirituality (as I connect with it strongly) and….your journey and words are beautiful. I’m grateful for your sharing of information. I have being meaning to go back to visit Greece because there are still signs calling me there. Thank you very much for being it!
Hello Marina
Thank you for your kind words. I don’t live in Greece but I was born there and migrated to Australia when I was 4 years old with my parents. Though I don’t live in Greece physically I feel I am living there within my heart when I revisit stories of the soul and mythology. I will return to Greece once again in the near future.
I am glad you see the importance of using diverse forms of information to position one self in the Universe. Take Astrology as an example – people will say that it has no credibility within the scientific mindset. This is true but what these people seem to forget is that correlation is not causation. The astrology skeptics do not understand that just because planets are in a certain position when an event happens on Earth does not mean that the planetary pattern CAUSED the event. What it means is that at the same time an event happens on Earth a certain planetary pattern occurs. This CORRELATION is only meaningful to those who are open to the meaning of that moment. This is NOT scientific – it is more poetic.
All the best in your journey and please stay in touch.
G’day Stavros,
I’ve been enjoying your remarkable blog, which immediately made it clear you had a lot more on the ball that I did, insight-into-humanity-and-the universe-wise, though I’m getting tired of all this past tense (even if it is grammatically correct, referring to something that already happened).
My first thought was, “Okay, if this bloke’s so into people and history and spirituality and so on, why does he live in what seems like the most distant spot on the planet (except maybe Antarctica, and definitely even in that direction)?” Then I realized: In order to have truer, uninterrupted insights into these kinds of things, one requires solitude, or at least the option of uncrowded beaches.
My only question (which I’m about to introduce with a colon) is: Being way down there in the Southern Hemisphere (which I understand, being half of the planet, is considered a proper noun, and thus capitalized), aren’t a lot of things turned around backwards, much as how water goes down the drain in the opposite direction? Could that pose any challenges to one’s interpretations of reality? I mean, it’s all so subjective to begin with. I have enough trouble remembering which leg goes into which side of my pants in the morning, so I can only imagine what it may be like having to make such left-or-right, up-or-down decisions all day long.
But I’ve said too much, haven’t I? (You can’t tell, but rather than typing this, I’m dictating it with voice-recognition software, whose accuracy is quinoa flange manicotti.) Keep up the fine work. If I ever get the world figured out up on this half of it, I’ll be sure to let you know, as it’ll probably also apply to what’s down there, just the other way around.
Your fellow member of the Commonwealth (being in Canada, and therefore speaking roughly the same language), Andy
Hi Andy
Thanks for your kind comments. Living in Australia we don’t feel isolated or far away from anything because we do have BIG metropolises – Sydney, Melbourne. When you venture out of the big bubbles of activity that’s when you feel how big & “empty” Australia is. I felt that strongly while travelling through Central Australia. Stephen King, the author, once said, while motorcycling that he felt you could hear God breathe out in Central Australia.
Rene Daumal wrote that he felt he was great Inside Out Man, (see post about him in my blog). Well, maybe I’m the great Upside Down Man 🙂 In terms of isolation, I used to get away from the crowds when I was about 20 every few months by going to this beautiful place in the bush about 100 kms away from Sydney, where I’d stay under this big rock ledge that felt like it was a cave. I’d be there for about a week, fasting for the first 3 or 4 days, then eating my provisions of sultanas & nuts. I found it interesting that even though all I did for the day was light a fire, go for walks & swim in the beautiful rock pool time just swept away. Alone & with my thoughts, I’d have lots of interesting times just watching the antics in my head.
Again, thanks for your response. Now to visit your blog…
Stavros
I came across your deep-dives while tracking back to Suarez’s Cipher… I’m a retired r(25 years ago) rogue professor of sociology. My quest has been for am eclectic participatory (e.g. CAT-scan)
Liberation Sociology. Suarez code – Undifferentiated energy by containers of all kinds – caught my interest. I too go in and out. Most every morning I rise in the dark, make a coffee, and sit and sip while an undirected flow just happens. I use the concept of paradigm as my outside framework. Its dynamic comes from he contrast of the established “Coperican” paradigm, basically an ugly and destructive monoculture with the paradigm of perennial wisdoms. While ery promising, it is hard to sell to all sleepyheads.
DeLIGHTed. to meet up with yo, and your fellows
Hello Thomas – thanks for writing. There’s not many who are into Suarez’s Cipher so it is wonderful to meet someone who is. I’m a retired Teacher who was a manager of multicultural education programs for the last 20 years. So, dealing with a diverse community & designing educational programs for that community has helped in my somewhat eclectic approach to knowledge and understanding. You are right about the beige monoculture of the established “Copernican” paradigm but at least there’s some of us who wish to add a bit of colour.
Delighted to meet you too.
Thank you Stavros, for sharing your thoughts. I really enjoyed reading your words and feel, at the age of seventy-two, that I need to reach out to like-minded souls to add richness to my life.
I am a meditator as well. There are so many ways to find peace. The now is so precious. 🙏
Thank you Jen for reading my stuff. Yes, the NOW is precious as it is all we have.