Thoughts Beyond EVEN A CROW…, The Unpublished Text on “Light Energy”

The science: “Light energy, also known as radiant energy, is a form of kinetic energy carried by electromagnetic waves composed of photons, which allows humans to see and which powers many natural and technological processes. It can move through empty space because it does not require a medium to propagate. It is produced when electrons in atoms gain energy—often from heat or excitation—and release this energy as photons, which are tiny packets of energy.”

The subchapter begins after Ana’s meeting with her former colleague His Highness Kiran Dhurgana of the Royal Ministry of Bhutan, at Punta Arenas, Chile, on page 173, and before the text, “Ana was not moved…”. As an unpublished chapter, see the text below:


Chapter 23A – E = hw | Light Energy

It was time for Ana to sojourn to the reestablished Sakya Monastery from Tibet to Dehra Dun, India. The recommendation came from Kiran to visit The Sakya Monastery that had relocated from Tibet to northern India due to the mass diaspora in 1959 when People’s Republic of China (PRC) under Mao Zedong invaded Tibet for themselves. Many of the scholars and monks at that monastery made it their task to smuggle as many documents from their majestic library that held over 84,000 manuscripts since its founding in 1073. Perhaps, she would be blessed in filling up voids in her practice with the help from their principal deity Manjushri, the manifestation of transcendent wisdom. In her heart of hearts, she dreamed her sojourn was important.

Kiran made all the arrangements with the King to assign his Pilatus PC-24 jet for her travel to and from Dehra Dun along with offerings.  It was mid-October 2029, shortly after the passing of Tulku Chimed Tsering Rinpoche. There was strong turbulence flying over the westerly mountains of the Kingdom of Bhutan, over Sikkim, Nepal, and Uttarakhand, but the PC-24 could easily operate up to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet, making it suitable for high-altitude operations. The king of the Wangchuck dynasty and his minister wanted to keep her safe.

The Oldest Sakya Monastery taken over by China

The original Sakya Monastery, now designated as a Buddhist temple, is in Sa Jia Xian, Ri Ka Ze Shi, China (formerly, in Tibet). It still holds thousands of documents.

Many of the scholars and monks at that monastery made it their task to smuggle as many manuscripts from their majestic library since its founding. Perhaps, she would be blessed in filling up voids with from their Manjushri deity, the manifestation of transcendent wisdom. The depth of Vajrayana was immeasurable, and the Tibetan Sakya tradition held many sacred secrets. Secretly, she wondered how Sakya Master Sönam Tsemo in 1182 accomplished the incredible feat of passing away without leaving his body behind and who took his puppy with him!

Ana was embarrassed by the elaborate reception she received at the Sakya Monastery. She met them all but wishing her mentor, her personification of Manjushri, would manifest to her that day. But it did not happen. Of all the major lamas, all of them, except for two, were from the Sakya lineage. As her last act before them, she presented them with an offering from the King of the Kingdom of Bhutan–an elaborately designed wooden box, the contents unknown to all. She bowed, facing them as she walked backwards to the exit door.

She had arrived one day before the Padmasambhava Tso Kor (10th lunar day, October 10, 2033) , an elaborate feast in honor of the “second Buddha” who helped establish Buddhism safely in Tibet. It was a cool evening (54 degrees F) after a hot two days (91 degrees F). On Saturdays, it was Monastery maintenance day. She partook of the Vajrayogini practice on the 25th lunar day), the highest of tantric teachings and practice, which she qualified for without a need for empowerments from a Sakya lama. However, on the next auspicious practice on the 29th lunar day, Ana received empowerment to practice Mahakala for all Dharma protectors. Early on it was deemed early by the Sakyapas that she merited the Mahakala empowerment before the practice. 

In the cool early evening of October 25, 2030, Ana started to attend practices for her next level of accomplishment—the Vajrayogini practice that emphasizes a rapid path to enlightenment through the embodiment of divine feminine wisdom and compassion. It was her third day at the Monastery but no Manjushri revealed itself to her.

The next vital practice was to be held on the 29th lunar day, the Mahakala practice. The Mahakala deity was the Tibetan protector of the Dharma and who shields the faithful from obstacles, negative forces, and spiritual hindrances. On its full lunar phase, on November 6, 2033, Ana lingered on unaware that the others had left the gompa. She was in a stage of absorption when she was approached by a lama she had briefly met on her first day. Glancing up at him with a sense of joy, she heard him say, “I am called Norbu Delek, and you are the young lama from Bhutan, are you not?”

Ana grinned widely and feeling a chill run down her spine as her hands became warm. “Yes, Lama la, I am she.” She didn’t even bother to give him a name because it felt superfluous and supercilious. Her spiritual name was one to be envied, and she was sensitive to that.

Norbu sat down before her, giving Ana some background about himself and of what he was about to teach her to bring her up to date on recent scientific research behind some of the yogic practices.

“I was 27 when I was assigned to become an active member at the Life and Science Institute, about three years after its inception.” He paused to see if she wanted to add to the conversation. In her silence, he proceeded, “The Institute was founded in 1987 with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, India. Its main mission was to gain understanding between the Dharma as taught by Buddha Shakyamuni and science. It has remained at the contemporary cutting-edge of scientific research and innovation engaged with contemplation science. As a scientist myself in theoretical physics, I was involved in many research projects I was asked to attend.

“For you, starting tomorrow, we will meet in the north-facing small wing of the library to practice. Are you willing?”

“Oh, yes, I am so thankful, Lama la.”

As he stood up, he glanced at her quickly, feeling pleased that she was ready and having a happy heart. He would address her as Yiga la, for her happy heart. “By the way, I am a Nyingmapa like you.”

It was time for Ana to sojourn to the reestablished Sakya Monastery from Tibet to Dehra Dun, India. The recommendation came from Kiran to visit The Sakya Monastery that had relocated from Tibet to northern India due to the mass diaspora in 1959 when People’s Republic of China (PRC) under Mao Zedong invaded Tibet for themselves. Many of the scholars and monks at that monastery made it their task to smuggle as many manuscripts from their majestic library that once held over 84,000 manuscripts since its founding. Perhaps, she would be blessed in filling up voids in her practice with the help from their principal deity, Manjushri, the manifestation of transcendent wisdom. In her heart of hearts, she dreamed her sojourn was important.

The Oldest Sakya Monastery taken over by China. Nowit is designated as the Buddhist temple is in Sa Jta Xlan, Ri Ku Ze Shi, China. It still holds thousands of manuscripts.

There was a knowing to go there, and she thought, at first, it was because of its illustrious treasure of canons preserved miraculously. (The Sakya monks and scholars saved a number of scrolls from the original Sakya Monastery in Tibet by smuggling them to India to keep the Tibetan Sakya tradition alive and flourishing.) She further imagined there she would meet an emanation of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of transcendental wisdom, to guide her further—to help her to remove hindrances she was not acknowledging. The depth of Vajrayana was immeasurable, and the Sakyas were keepers of such knowledge. Secretly, she wondered how Sakya Master Sönam Tsemo in 1182 accomplished the incredible feat of passing away without leaving his body behind and who took his puppy with him!

Kiran made all the arrangements with the King to assign his Pilatus PC-24 jet for her travel to and from Dehra Dun along with offerings.  It was mid-October 2029, shortly after the passing of Tulku Chimed Tsering Rinpoche. There was strong turbulence flying over the westerly mountains of the Kingdom of Bhutan, over Sikkim, Nepal, and Uttarakhand, but the PC-24 could easily operate up to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet, making it suitable for high-altitude operations. The king of the Wangchuck dynasty and his minister wanted to keep her safe.

Ana was embarrassed by the elaborate reception she received at the Sakya Monastery. She met them all, wishing her mentor, her personification of Manjushri, would manifest to her that day. But it did not happen. Of all the major lamas, except for two, were from the Sakya lineage. She presented the offering contained in an elaborate wooden box from the King of the Kingdom of Bhutan.  She knew not the contents, and she bowed before them, walking backwards while facing them until she reached the exit and headed straight to the nunnery.

She had arrived three days before the Padmasambhava Tso Kor (early evening of the 10th lunar day (Thursday, October 27, 2033), an elaborate feast in honor of the “second Buddha” who helped establish Buddhism safely in Tibet. It was a cool evening (54o degrees F) after three hot days (91o degrees F). On Saturday, it was Monastery maintenance day.

Ana partook of the Vajrayogini practice on the 25th lunar day, the highest teaching and practice that emphasizes a rapid path to enlightenment through the embodiment of divine feminine wisdom and compassion. She did not need an empowerment from a Sakya lama, for she had already had such an initiation. Still, no Manjushri!

However, on the next auspicious practice on the 29th lunar day (November 2), Ana received empowerment to practice Mahakala for all Dharma protectors the previous night. Early on it was deemed early that she merited the Mahakala empowerment before the practice.  It is held that the Mahakala deity is the Tibetan protector of the Dharma and who shields the faithful from obstacles, negative forces, and spiritual hindrances. 

MAHAKALA, Reified Protector of the Dharma who has varying manifestations

The sacred Mahakala Mantra is “Om Shri MahaKala Hum Hum Phat”.

Practitioners merge their consciousness with Mahakala’s unyielding compassion, allowing blessings to permeate all aspects of their lives for the sake of others and themselves.

On the feast day of Mahakala, Ana sat with her eyes partly closed, her breath slowly rising and falling, and unaware that all the other participants had left the gompa. The lama who initiated the Majala;a practice quietly sat in front of her, awaiting Ana’s conscious presence to acknowledge him. When she opened her eyes fully, she heard him say, “I am called Norbu Delek. No need to call me Rinpoche. I am here to guide you further in your Mahakala practice if you are willing. I hope I didn’t startle you out of your contemplation . . . You are the young lama from Bhutan, are you not?.”

With a sense of joy, Ana grinned widely, feeling a chill run down her spine as her hands became warm. “Yes, Lama la, I am she.” She didn’t even bother to give him her name because it felt superficial and supercilious that she had received a goal-oriented and envious spiritual name.

“Oh yes, please,” as she attempted to rise to prostrate before him. He lightly pulled her outer garb downward to prevent her from needlessly prostrating before him.

“No need for the formalities.” He noted that her heart held so much joy for the Dharma and decided he would call her Peme Yiga.

Ana smiled at him warmly. “Thank you, Lama la. I am grateful.” There he is; Manjushri is present.

Norbu Delek continued as he sat down before her. “I am a Nyingmapa like you . . . In case you do not know, the founding family of the Sakya tradition started with the Nyingma tradition. He failed to point out that the lineage of the King of the Kingdom of Bhutan was related to the original paternal ancestor of the Sakya lineage—His Holiness Ngawang Thutop Wangchuck was father of founder His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya.

“Tomorrow at Noon, we will meet at the westerly chamber of the main library to practice. I will also introduce you to others who are authorized to be in the library.” 

Ana wondered, So you are designated to represent the ancient lineage at the monastery? The Nyingma (“Ancient”) tradition is the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism based on the earliest translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, brought by masters like Padmasambhava, that later were revised and standardized. It is known for its Dzogchen teachings, which emphasize recognizing the mind’s natural, primordial awareness. It is both inclusive and layered in its preservation of foundational Buddhist ethics to advance esoteric practices, which includes the Sakya tradition. Above all, it holds the tradition of tertȫns, revealers of past masters who protected the Dharma until the wisdom is needed. Masters could be lay persons or monastics in this tradition.

“I want to share a bit of my background with you,” said Norbu. “I was 27 when I was assigned to become an active member at the Life and Science Institute, about three years after its inception.” He paused to see if she wanted to add to the conversation. In her silence, he proceeded. “The Institute was founded in 1987 with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, India. Its main mission was to gain understanding between the Dharma as taught by Buddha Shakyamuni and western science.

“The Institute has remained at the contemporary cutting-edge of scientific research and innovation engaged with contemplation science. As a scientist myself who dabbles in theoretical physics from time to time, I was involved in many research projects I was asked to attend.

“Starting tomorrow, we will meet in the north-facing wing of the library to practice. Are you willing and ready?”

“Oh yes. I am so thankful, Lama la,” responded Ana intently.

As Norbu stood up, he glanced at her quickly, feeling pleased that she was having a happy heart. He decided he would address her as Yiga la, fher her joyous heart.

Before Ana and Norbu Delek settled into their practice together, Norbu knew there was a link between her Jewish heritage and her mother’s since her mother often shared with Ana her research on the feminine. There was a need for resolution. “Ana, I want you to meet one of our translators who specializes in texts from the first, second and third centuries C.E. . . . In addition to Tibetan, he knows Melkite Aramaic.

Ana looked up at him surprised. “Oh, wow. Mother and I had many debates about whether or not the Jesus in the Greek scriptures is historical. Yet, it is currently held that the young Jesus joined a caravan and went eastward to Odessa. I don’t know if it was by caravan or sailed there. But, as I recall, he was somewhat like Einstein in his early years . . . rambunctious rebel . . . to the point Isus, Jesus’s semitic name, was chased out of Odessa by the religious elders.  He ended up in Tibet and trained in Buddhism for three years—

 “Yes, and His Highness the Dalai Lama had to deny Isus received Buddhist training when asked. The record is here, but you must deny it exists if we were to show it to you . . . I want you to meet Dr. Samuel Safaa from the University of Washington in Seattle.” Imagine the turmoil and religious wars that would ensue, thought the lama.

“Will he likely have translated some of the Gnostic books that mention Isus and Mary Magdalene?”

“Ah, yes.  The mistaken wife of Isus.” He looked at her, adding carefully, “He could have been a monk in Tibet.  Ask Dr. Saffaa if he has written a paper on the subject.  He may have it available online somewhere.”

“I wonder if I should share it with my mother.”

“That’s for you to decide, Peme Yiga.”

After her first day of solo practice with Norbu and meeting Dr. Saffaa, she found the PDF article of his on his translation, unredacted Melkite Aramaic, in her e-mail. After reading it, Ana synthesized what could possibly be true about Mary Magdalene (of Magdala, a fishing village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee (suffix ene is a toponymic), Jesus, and the other disciples.  Then she let it go from her mind and not deciding to share it with her mother) after she concluded what Jesus said about attachment being the sin. She was more interested in the way of the Dharma than in the way of humanity.

Ignoring the interpretations of Mary of Magdala and Isus as sextual couples, she focused on the agency of Mary of Magdala. She was older than he, from an affluent family, and was favored by him because she possessed a deep, intuitive understanding of his secret teachings (much of the texts had been redacted or destroyed to preserve orthodoxy to know conclusively that he kissed her on the mouth). After Jesus answers questions about the nature of matter and states of consciousness, mental factors, and the processes of the mind, the male disciples were terrified and grieved because they did not understand fully; and they recognized that it was so different from what their leaders had taught them and that also affected their overall cultural habituation. 

A good example is the following dialogue: Mary of Magdala asked, “Lord, how does he who sees the vision see it—through the soul or through the spirit?” (To be noted, in Aramaic, Mary of Magdala was distinguishing between nephesh (soul) and rauch (spirit).) Jesus answered that it is seen through the mind that sits between the two, in Buddhist translation, consciousness that connects both the brain and the heart. He further revealed a higher esoteric Gnostic teaching about consciousness ascending past hostile cosmic powers—ignorance and desire—to find ultimate rest (self-liberation).  Most important was that Jesus favored her because she could reason at the level that men were taught to reason. He pointed out that she was elevated as an intellectual equal to the make apostles. Women were neither encouraged to be independent nor intellectual thinkers as now.

The substitute words for missing words in the manuscripts perpetuated a misrepresentation of Jesus kissing her on the mouth or cheek. A telling bit of conversation that survived is that, when some disciples asked Jesus, “Why do you love her more than all of us?” Jesus responded with a metaphor about sight and darkness: “Why do I not love you like her?  When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light; and he who is blind will remain in darkness.”  Understanding the teaching was like seeing the light; not understanding was like remaining in ignorance. This metaphor is very eastern form of argumentation.

Her remaining month India was filled with intense practice and new approaches to what she was taught in the past. It was different because the metaphysics of the yoga asanas were now based on modern nomenclature of the biology and chemistry that produced results in yoga practice. Thus, the biology on a few of the six ancient methods—breath retention (Prana Samyama), herbal alchemy (Rasa Vadya), thermal purification (Svedana), cold immersion (Sita Snina), mindful waking (Jagarita), sacred intention aligning actions with the cosmic order (Sankalpa)—were stressed to her liking. They were mostly exploring the power of breath* and sound**.

For example, there is a cellular switch that fights fatigue. Every cell has a tiny engine called mitochondria, which converts every food eaten and every breath taken into energy that runs the heart, brain, and body. After the age of 45, the mitochondria stop replacing themselves. Nothing replaces them. They affect lack of sleep so that one does not feel restored from sleep. The cellular power  starts failing. Yet, the mitochondria still remain in the body, intact and waiting to be restored. There is one signal that restarts the mitochondria. Science calls the signal PGC01 Alpha. One switch affects two results—aging slows down and energy is restored within two days.

She learned to use her breath to ensure heart rate variability is optimal to strengthen the diaphragm, which does not stand alone. It has two tendrils, called the crura, which directly anchor to the lumbar vertebrae and are structurally linked. When one locks due to stress, it pulls on the other. The diaphragm is part of the same nervous system. So the switch to experience the breath—the length and depth of the exhale directly signals the longest nerve in the body, the vagus nerve, which carries the nerve traffic that connects your gut, heart, and brain. Eighty percent of one’s breath travels from the whole body to the brain. By this method of breathing, one’s breath is not limited to one’s state of mind. The slow, deep breathing strengthened the vagus nerve (nervus vaga) and helps to reduce anxiety. Better vagal tone improves heart rate variability for resilience and longevity. The diaphragm is always there to be engaged to do what it does best. It was vital to know how to breathe deeply. If the hand on the belly rises instead of the hand on the chest, a parasympathetic shift takes place in a prolonged exhale.

The Khumbhaka-Rechaka was more elaborate as a breath practice, which triggers a massive surge of nitric acid that dilate blood vessels, flooding tissues with CO2 circulation. The inhale-exhale protocol* stimulates BDNF (Skt. Prana) production that grows neural connections and reverses cognitive aging. It also initiates cellular autophagy (the same response when fasting) where damaged cells are broken down and recycled). As the oxygen is dipping, it registers a low oxygen signal, HIF-1 (Alpha) known as the master regeneration switch, which becomes activated. Within 21 days of consistent practice, the body will start repairing damage incurred over years. The body then does what it is knows to do biologically from the beginning of time. It knows to respond to the language of breath.

The 111 Breath Protocol was the most fascinating because it pointed out that the breath is a neurological pathway to programming the subconscious—a breath shift goes from beta states to alpha and theta states in under two minutes. These altered states are known as “Coherent Field Resonance,” (Skt. prana vidya) the exact frequency needed for the probability outcomes desired. It should not come as a surprise that breath carries information, not just air, as confirmed by neuroscience. Every inhalation sends electrical signals through the vagus nerve that directly communicates with the subconscious mind. Literally, when breathing with intention, new reality consciousness parameters operating system. This protocol breaks the limitation pattern in seven minutes. Here is why it works: Quantum bridge focuses breathing combined with elevated emotion creates “Coherent Brain-Heat States” where the electromagnetic field expands up to eight feet around one’s body, literally broadcasting one’s intentions into the quantum field (a measurable electromagnetic reality).

The simple 111 protocol amplifies the above-mentioned effect exponentially: One breath activates the neural networks; one breath activates intention; one breath locks into the subconscious to be repeated in specific cycles that mirror the Golden Ration found throughout nature. Quantum science calls it “Constructive Wave Interference” (resonance universal frequencies). In other words, when one’s personal field synchronizes with the quantum vacuum, probability waves collapse in one’s favor. The routine is to inhale for a set count of four seconds, hold the breath for the exact same count, and exhale for the same count. It helps to reset the nervous system that instantly shifts the body out of a fight-or-flight state. A similar Tibetan practice of “1-1-1” is the Vajrayana Nine-Round Breath also accomplishes the results.

On her last two days, Norbu Tashi Rinpoche asked Ana if there was something else she would like to know. Without any apprehension or shame, Ana blurted, “May I read the accounts of Their Highnesses Ngog Choku Dorje, Rongton Sheja Kunrig, and Chogye Trichen Rinpoche?”

Norbu’s laughter prompted his head to lift back earnestly, saying, “Why, of course!” He was surprised that she had not done that when she was helping the translators with their project. She had ample opportunity to explore their history. These were three of the prominent Sakya masters who attained the ultimate state known as the rainbow body. involving the dematerializing of the physical form into the five colored lights that involved a very secret advanced practice.

Returning to Bhutan, Ana Celeste Tabbot Tosic launched her third sojourn, going beneath all practices and beliefs into the source of her existence in silence. She arrived lighter and with a deeper tonality to her voice and realizing then and there to stop searching.

_______

* Khumbhaka-Rechaka Breath Protocol: Inhale-exhale protocol:  (1) Weeks on and two—daily—Inhale and exhale normally at least three times until the body feels relaxed while sitting with the back straight and the head facing forward normally. Once feeling relaxed in body and mind, take a deep breath of eight counts. Then, slowly exhale through the nose (not the mouth). DO NOT RUSH; REMAIN RELAXED. Start over, maybe at a later time, if the exhale was rushed. When the breath is fully out, hold the breath for a count of 10. At this point, the stem cells peak. The top and bottom hold creates a sustained hypoxic window that forces full deployment of the stem cells, released from the bone marrow and triggered by HIF-1(Alpha) as it floods the bloodstream. This is the regeneration window. Now the body is ready to operate optimally. 

Practice this cycle with three complete rounds per session. (2) Week three—daily—add two counts to each breath of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold cycle.  (3) Week four—daily—add two more counts to each breath of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold cycle. The body will adapt to the increased retentions. Perform consistently is the reward; it is not about intensity. 

The following are three critical mistakes to avoid:  (1) Never gasp, because severe hunger air spikes cortisol, which suppresses stem cell activity. Do not panic; only strive to the point of discomfort. (2) Always practice seated, because vagal activation during breath retention practice can cause dizziness. (3) Do not combine practice in the first two weeks with cold exposure. Cold is a suppressor on its own.  Let the body get accustomed to Khumbhaka-Rechaka before layering it with other protocols. 

Within 21 days, the body will start repairing years of damage to the body, for the body is know understanding the language of the breath. The body only knows balance and imbalance and rewards accordingly.—Codex Reality

** In 2012, a scientific study was performed with accidental results, indexed as PMID 22307473, that measured the nitric oxide production during the Bhramari Pranayana protocol (see below). The results of the study documented the dramatic increase in nasal cavity nitric oxide that confirmed a cascade of vascular neurological states, which are experience only through yogic practice. What the scientists were initially measuring was the gas dynamics in the sinuses. What they discovered was that the vagus nerve was consistently demonstrating the upregulation of BDNF (“Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor”)—the protein directly responsible for hippocampal neurogenesis (new neurons).

By engaging the diaphragmatic breathing with extended exhalation, which produced the parasympathetic depth required for full glymphatic activation. The alpha and theta brainwave states, induced by sustained humming, are the same states associated with neural repair and memory consolidation.

Bhramari Prana Protocol: At dawn or immediately before sleep—which are the two windows of glymphatic sensitivity when melatonin and cortisol are in their most favorable ratio and when the nervous system is predisposed toward parasympathetic activation—sit upright, spine vertical. Jaw unclenched. Lips gently sealed and teeth partly parted. Then, place the thumbs lightly over the cartilage of the ears, pressing the tragas to partially oculate external sound. This will amplify the internal sound within the skull.

Fully inhale through the nose. On the exhale, produce a continuous, low-frequency hum. Not a high or chest tone. It should be a resonant vibration felt primarily in the nasal cavity and behind the eyes. A buzzing sensation will be felt at the cribriform plate. If the vibration is felt only in the chest, lower the pitch of the hum.

Ten minutes is the minimum threshold for meaningful glymphatic and vagal effects. Twelve to 15 minutes is optimal. Do not expect systemic change at three repetitions. Continues inhale-exhale practice is what counts. Thus, be generous with one’s time during practice. Sit in silence for two to three minutes to notice the shift in neurological states. This is when the nervous system crosses into its maintenance mode.

The brain does not require more input; it requires its own condition for repair—to remove obstacles and chronic sympathetic dominance, for they prevent the natural intelligence of the brain from operating in balance.—Codex Reality

Thoughts Beyond the Armida Trilogy: What’s in a Name? 0.02

At some point in this blog, the author
will get a little personal in her choices
of names due to their meanings
throughout the three novels, however
trite.

Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Sarah whose husband was named John. The winds of trade made them a union. For her, privileged in her own land, she met some discomfort with her new family because Sarah was a Jewess and John was Catholic in Nova Scotia in the early 1800’s. As noted below, one can perceive that Sarah knew Shakespeare, especially about the star-crossed couple, Romeo and Juliet. (By the way, Sarah in Hebrew means Hebrew name that means “princess,” “noblewoman,” or “lady” due to the biblical wife of Abraham.) The couple had a son they named Arthur in 1889. During the time of his birth, “Arthur” ranked 20th in popularity; and it bore the following meanings: “bear,” “Thor,” “eagle,” and “strong man.” The continuation of the family origin story is unknown. (Much is conjecture. Nonetheless, Grandfather Rose was a builder of wooden ships that sailed to far lands. Arthur Rose became an accountant for the Singer Sewing Machine Company, which became the Singer Corporation in the 1900s. Arthur was assigned to the Mexico hub.)

The author surmises that Sarah knew the story of Romeo and Juliet when she gave Arthur his middle name coupled with the surname—Montague Rose. This insight comes when we think of what Juliet said to Romeo about the meaning of a name.

Illustration

Mask On Book. Classical white Venetian mask on old book against dark background (Dreamstime.com)

In Act II, Scene II, Juliet implies that names are arbitrary and do not change the essence of Romeo whose family name is Montague, making him an enemy of her family. In their forbidden moments, Juliet thinks over Romeo’s surname: “What’s in a name that which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet?” Her words imply that, though names carry immense meaning, heritage, prejudice, and/or power, her love was in true form. When Sarah took to heart what was spoken by Juliet, did Sarah identify her circumstances with any of the implications from the family into which she married? Her suffering was twofold, for her own family disowned her for marrying a Catholic. The exogamy practice, which prevails in certain cultures, was both ethnic and religious in nature.

So, from a pragmatic perspective, name labels matter a lot, for they reflect culture, heritage, and/or history. They can also, carry baggage and influence social and business perceptions. They can create stereotypes. But from a philosophical perspective, a name is simply a label or a social convention; and It should not affect the value of the named person.

Basically, the origin of a name can be from a trade, a location, or bestowed affection. An example of this is the name Armentano, which can indicate both a place, Armento, in Calabria and Basilicata, Italy, and a trade name (Armento) as cattle herder.

A name can contain identity and meaning—aspirations, hopes, or family history to guide a person’s identity, A legendary example of this is the birth of Siddhartha Gautama. According to Buddhist legend, Queen Maya had a dream, during which time a white elephant (explained below) entered her side, When she awoke, she realized she was pregnant. She knew of the prophecy beforehand in which case, if the child born were to remain home, the child would become a ruler; however, if the child were to leave home, the child would become a universal leader. Queen Maya decided to name her neonate Siddhartha, a Sanskrit name that means “one who has attained his goals.”

As for the symbolism of the “white elephant,” it represents the sacred nature of Maya’s pregnancy—in that a significant and powerful being would be born—foreshadowing the auspiciousness of her son’s birth would highlight wisdom to be brought to mankind through him, thus the Awakened One (Buddha).

Names and their meanings play an important part in the naming of various characters in the three novels: Book I introduces Dara who is named after my lovely dance teacher of Raqs Sharqu (Arabic name for “Eastern Dance”, Belly Dance in English). Her name was Maja (an alias) and was born in Egypt. Nona, which means “Nine” (or “ninth”) is also introduced in Book I. She was named after the first born of my college mentor (chief librarian). Nona foreshadows Ana in that the word “nona” is often used as a prefix in a number of scientific and other technical terms (e.g., nonapeptide).

In Book III, Ana, an MIT physicist, was named after a dear high school friend who felt betrayed because I married the son of the colonel who fired her father, a civilian personnel officer who sold honorable discharges for monetary gain). I do not think my friend knew why her father was discharged.

Ana is a name I would have given myself if my Father had not told me, when I was about five, that I should never let my name Armida be changed. In some ways, I betrayed him because, when in high school, I gave myself the nickname “Mimi” and then, during my federal career, “Armee,” pronounced “Army.” Then, there was this girl I knew who would call me “Army Navy” for “Armida Nagy.” What a drag! Father just did not know that my name was mispronounced and misspelled all too often. It is only now that I am long in the tooth that I embrace my given name. This was my secret from my dad.

In all three novels, there is one name that holds an honorary place. The name is “Andrew, or variations thereof. of my Father’s given name, meaning “manly,” “strong,” or “brave.” He was all three in every sense of the word. His characteristics are reflected in the characters in the trilogy. I was the apple of his eye, and he was my hero.

One thing is certain, however, about the women of the Armida Trilogy. They all showed a potential for leadership. Even the Dalai Lama contemplates on reincarnating as a woman since he believes women are particularly suited for leadership due to their inherent compassion. He surmises that, if there were more female leaders, the would would be more peaceful. In most instances, in their compassion, they also know how to give and to instruct, instead of take, take, take.


What’s in a name? Everything and nothing at all. I will settle for “I am that I am” . . . a vibrant part of the universal eye of consciousness, being. Or as Popeye said in the 1933 animated film, “I yam what I yam.”

Illustration

Mind’s Eye: AI Abstract Poartrait of Human Consciousness and Energy Flow (Dreamstime.com)

The Armida Trilogy, which is not named after the author’s given name per se, is named after a fictitious character, Armida, with historical and literary connections: A Damascus warrior-queen from the 1st Crusade in Torquato Tasso’s Gerusalemme Liberata (1591). Tasso’s epic poem had inspired numerous artists and composers, each interpreting Armida’s character in unique ways. As such, she embodies the archetype of the forsaken woman in literature. Yet, many view Armida as a more relatable and sympathetic figure, adding depth to her portrayal. For more information about the various artists and composers who were inspired by Tasso’s Gerusalemme Liberata,

PRESS RELEASE by Author on Book Three–Even a Crow Knows….now available for your reading pleasure

INTRODUCING THE ARMIDA TRILOGY with Book Three: SOFT SCIENCE FICTION, EVEN A CROW KNOWS HOW TO CRACK A WALNUT IN CLEAR LIGHT (2026)

THE ARMIDA TRILOGY | Daughters of the Dance – Book One (2018),

Choir of Cloistered Canaries – Book Two (2020), and

Even a Crow Knows How to Crack a Walnut in Clear Light – Book Three (2026)

The Armida Trilogy — A Multigenerational Odyssey of Feminine Power

The fictional works of The Armida* Trilogy are all interconnected by the central theme of women’s issues in the midst of adversities across various historical contexts. The narratives feature protagonists from different generations, with the first novel focusing on three women, the second on two, and the third on a single individual.

These works blend elements of intellectual discourse, philosophy, intrigue, symbolism, history, travel, and romance, incorporating some brief aspects of literary nonfiction. Each novel conveys messages about determined women navigating their spiritual journeys within specific historical frameworks and with their development influenced by contemporary events. The Armida Trilogy spans from the turn of the 19th century to the early 21st century and introduces central protagonists Dara, Ayana, Nona, Isobel, Leitis, Thelma, Myra, and Ana as they play out their archetypes as Creatrix, Lover, Maiden, Mother, Mystic, Warrior, and the like.

Spanning over two centuries, The Armida Trilogy is a sweeping literary journey that interlaces the lives of at least nine women across three novels, each navigating the crucible of her era. From the twilight of the Enlightenment to the dawn of the digital age, these embody timeless archetypes such as the Creatrix, the Lover, the Mystic, and the Warrior. Their stories unfold against the backdrop of historical upheaval, philosophical awakening, and intimate personal reckonings.

Each novel narrows its focus: the first weaves the lives of three women into a collective chorus of resistance and awakening; the second deepens into the duality of two intertwined fates; the final novel distills the journey into the singular voice of a woman confronting the legacy of those before her. Through intellectual discourse, symbolic motifs, and romantic undercurrents, the trilogy explores how women shape — and are shaped by — the world around them.

Blending fiction with glimmers of literary nonfiction, The Armida Trilogy is not just only a chronicle of survival but also a celebration of spiritual evolution, intergenerational wisdom, and the enduring power of the feminine spirit.


        Though the trilogy uses the author’s birth name per se, The Armida Trilogy, is named after a fictitious character, Armida, in Torquato Tasso’s epic poem, Gerusalemme Liberata (1591). with historical and literary connections: A Damascus warrior-queen from the 1st Crusade.  Tasso inspired numerous artists and composers, each interpreting Armida’s character in unique ways. As such, she embodies the archetype of the forsaken woman in literature. Yet, many view Armida as a more relatable and sympathetic figure, adding depth to her portrayal.

BOOK THREE – Even a Crow Knows How to Crack a Walnut in Clear Light. (2026)

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Despite its playful title, Even a Crow Knows… introduces a gifted M.I.T. graduate, whose life sets the foundation for the novel’s exploration of the clash between technology and spirituality. It touches on her early childhood, when her natural brilliance and curiosity about the universe first began to take shape.

The narrative introduces the overarching conflict—Ana’s recruitment by a corporate headhunter for an orthodox, visionary consortium focused on reshaping the world with her military research experience at Area 51. And Ana’s scientific fascination eventually merges with deeper philosophical questions about the nature of existence.

The background themes of the novel include elements of military research, philosophy, intrigue, symbolism, history, and romance, incorporating literary nonfiction. Ana’s growing realization of a spiritual truth—when death is perceived as an illusion and where all beings and constructs are interconnected in the vast expanse of space— one can reach self-liberation. After all, the subtitle states Space Contains All Beings and Things.

BOOK ONE – Daughters of the Dance (2018)

Aa multi-generational saga of women dancers, specifically the danse du ventre, against a backdrop of global upheaval within the context of the Sephardic-Ladino community of professional men of Curaçao, this historical novel is rich in its cultural tapestry, spiritual symbolism, and mature sexual boundaries. At once, it’s a historical epic, spiritual journey, and intimate portrait of female embodiment.

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Renewed interest in Daughters of the Dance, the first book under The Armida Trilogy, this press release offers an overview of Armida Nagy Rose’s historical novel originally published in August 2, 2018.  Originally written as a screenplay, Nagy Rose later expanded it into this novel to incorporate richer historical and cultural detail of the Sephardic Jews of Curacao… 

Set across the first half of the 20th century, the noel spans three generations of women in two interconnected families—mothers, daughters, and granddaughters—who practice the art of dance, specifically danse du ventre (Moyen-Orient), against a backdrop of global upheaval. The other family involved three affluent Sephardic brothers.

The story revolves around Dara, an Algerian expatriate whose sensuous belly-dancing garners both admiration and scandal in Europe and in the Americas during World War II. Her daughter, Ayana, and later her granddaughter, continue this heritage. Through these spiritual daughters of the dance, the fast-moving narrative explores topics of sexuality, spiritual liberation, and female empowerment

The following provides key themes (historical and cultural tapestry, spiritual symbolism, and controversial adult content).

The plot weaves through settings that include the Netherlands, Panama, Spain, Mexico, and Willemstad, Curacao—all within the context of the Sephardic-Ladino Jewish diaspora and the expansions and tremors of war.

Moreover, dance in the novel is not just performance. It is a spiritual discipline to “dance in the middle of the fighting, dance in your blood, dance when you are perfectly free,” a partial quote of a Sufi poem by Rumi (13th century C.E.). As a theme, the narrative connects dance with themes of redemption, freeing of the self, and breaking cycles of rebirth (the cycle of samsara), weaving in Buddhist notions like the Bardo (the intermediate state of death and rebirth).

Consequently, the novel delves into mature themes—sexual boundaries, relational power, religious conservatism, and suppression of women—providing both a sensual and cerebral experience.

Daughters of the Dance thought-provoking themes around female agency, sexuality, and liberation is both sensual and symbolic storytelling.

In essence, this historical novel is an ambitious, provocative sage of women seeking their agency—literally through dance, spiritual ecstasy, and introspection—amid social, religious, and wartime constraints. In short, it is at once a historical epic and an intimate portrait of female embodiment.

BOOK TWO – Choir of Cloistered Canaries (2020) – a thought-provoking, multi-layered novel that fuses epidemiology and psychology with ancient symbolism, environmental activism, and mystical exploration – wrapped in an emotionally-grounded take of reconnection, love, and resistance against ethical erosion. It uses the canary as metaphor to champion environmental guardianship and justice for all.

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Anyone who is interested environmental justice when science meets spirituality would be attracted to the environmental appeal and intellectual adventure.

Leitis Dennett, a senior CDC epidemiologist about to retire, is called to a secretive laboratory at the North Carolina Research Campus to reconnect with her estranged mother of several decades. As a member of the CDC Rapid Response Team, her visit to her mother is cut short to join the team headed for The Vatican and Rome, Italy.  It is there that a fortuitous relationship with Pope Hormisdas II develops.

Anyone who is interested environmental justice when science meets spirituality would be attracted to the environmental appeal and intellectual adventure.

Leitis Dennett, a senior CDC epidemiologist about to retire, is called to a secretive laboratory at the North Carolina Research Campus to reconnect with her estranged mother of several decades. As a member of the CDC Rapid Response Team, her visit to her mother is cut short to join the team headed for The Vatican and Rome, Italy.  It is there that a fortuitous relationship with Pope Hormisdas II develops.

It is also at this journey that she meets a medical engineer who joins her to further improvements on public health and to combat environmental degradation, echoing President Eisenhower’s warning in 1961 against unchecked industrialization and over consumption.

The novel resonates with modern concerns—clean air, water, and earth—representing “our song as canaries,” a metaphor for how human signal ecological distress. Leitis blends her epidemiology expertise with her passion for comparative mythology and alchemy, searching for hidden meanings in ancient symbols.

Beyond global stakes and politics, the novel is deeply personal—a mother and daughter healing almost a half-century of separation.

If you are drawn to environmental activism, ethical science, and storytelling where ancient wisdom meets modern dilemmas, this novel delivers.  Even as a human story, it is framed within larger questions of mortality and stewardship.

In summary, Choir of Cloistered Canaries blends a personal mother-daughter reunion with a global quest to expose and counteract corporate greed, sacred symbolism, and environmental collapse.  It asks readers to listen to the Earth’s “canary” warnings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Armida Nagy Rose is a reclusive, multidisciplinary artist and writer who publishes fiction under a nom de plume. Her work moves effortlessly between visual art, poetry, and narrative fiction, fusing spiritual inquiry, cultural history, and embodied practice into stories and workshops that invite close attention and quiet transformation.

Born into a family steeped in diasporic histories and contemporary religious beliefs, she developed an early fascination with myth, movement, and the material traces of memory. Her visual work—acrylics, watercolors, and pen-and-ink drawings—earned regional recognition when she was named Artist of the Month by the North of Tampa Arts League in the early 2000s. She also served on the board of the Coalition of Hispanic Artists in Hillsborough County, organizing community exhibitions that paired archival research with contemporary visual experiments.

As an educator, Armida created Zen Tango Art: Meditative Drawing in Pen & Ink, a practical manual published in 2011 that pairs intuitive mark-making (doodling) with focused observation (negotiating a representational object with doodling aesthetics) and contemplative attention. She led workshops that translate the book’s techniques into accessible exercises for artists, writers, and people seeking art as a mindfulness practice.

Her literary output spans poetry, short prose, and longer fiction. Early poems such as “Abraham Revisited” and visual pieces appear in anthologies such as Waves of Wonder and Reflections: The Olli-USF 20th Anniversary Collection, where she contributed both prose and imagery. Several early essays and art pieces were published online between 2012 and 2013. The International Library of Poetry, 2002, “Ode to the Gaian Pie”. Some of her early writings (2012-2013) are posted at thought4though.wordpress.com.

She has also taught introductory “Quintessential Tibetan Buddhism” at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of South Florida. Working from an initial screenplay for Daughters of the Dance, having trained in belly dance for several years, she expanded her narrative vision into The Armida Trilogy, a multi‑generational sequence of novels that interweaves history, comparative mythology, and spiritual symbolism to examine women’s agency across three centuries.

Armida’s fiction is characterized by richly textured settings, ethically engaged protagonists, and an interest in the body as archive and ritual. Her first novel, Daughters of the Dance, reframes the danse du ventre as spiritual discipline and a cultural memory within Sephardic‑Ladino networks. Book Two, Choir of Cloistered Canaries, blends epidemiology, environmental activism, and mysticism to ask how science and spirituality might together defend the commons.

Despite her private nature, Armida has participated in public life through curated lectures, intimate salons, and virtual conversations that pair historical scholarship with embodied practice until she became afflicted by multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS). Since 2009, she became an advocate of living a life that reduces exposure to toxic chemicals, primarily, those that are derived from petroleum. The novel, Choir of Cloistered Canaries, broaches this theme in a limited manner, since ambient and indoor air pollution is a major cause of premature deaths worldwide..

Armida lives and works in the southeastern United States. She continues to paint, draw, and write into her eighties and has developed a new fiction that explores the intersections of ritual, ecology, and female creative power.

PRESS RELEASE by Publisher on BOOK THREE–EVEN A CROW KNOWS….

Headline

Author Armida Nagy Rose’s new book, Even a Crow Knows How to Crack a Walnut in Clear Light, is a riveting historical fiction novel with a brilliant heroine at its center.

Short Description

Released on March 10, 2026, Even a Crow Knows How to Crack a Walnut in Clear Light from Page Publishing author Armida Nagy Rose traces the life of a brilliant M.I.T. graduate, Ana, whose journey sets the stage for an exploration of the intersection of technology and spirituality. The novel touches on her childhood, highlighting her innate brilliance and her deep curiosity about the origins of the universe.


Armida Nagy Rose, a retired US Federal regulatory analyst, has completed her third book of the Armida Trilogy, Even a Crow Knows How to Crack a Walnut in Clear Light”: An exhilarating historical novel that follows the life of Ana, whose conflict ignites when she is recruited by a corporate headhunter working for a visionary consortium eager to reshape the world, using a unique contribution Ana developed while at the military research facility, Area 51.

Initially driven by a scientific obsession with light, Ana’s exploration gradually shifts toward deeper philosophical questions about existence itself. As her work evolves, she finds herself caught in a growing tension between the technological world she’s helping to create and an emerging awareness of a spiritual truth that transcends it. In this space, death is revealed as an illusion, and all beings and phenomena are seen as interconnected across the vastness of the universe.

Author

Armida Nagy Rose lives in Florida. A US citizen born abroad, she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, and most of her career was under the US Department of Treasury and later under the US Department of Homeland Security when the Bush-Cheney reorganized major law enforcement agencies under DHS.

Armida writes, “A very pregnant Myra Ceagan Tošić-Tabbot enjoyed symbols appropriated from other cultures and from ancient peoples. On this day, she rested on a large Star of David that she drew on the porcelain-tiled patio with a light blue chalk. It was not easy; with her balloon of a belly, the roundness
indicated she would have a baby girl if all went well. She briefly recalled her first child, a stillborn boy named Boy Willard on the birth certificate, and her first husband, who died during her pregnancy when his EA-6B Prowler crashed in Washington State in 1982.”

She continues writing, “When she [Myra] drew the Star of David, she first drew the triangle that represents the male energy; and when she drew the feminine form, she rested on it, thinking her unborn would definitely be a girl. She would name her Ana. As a symbol, the name Ana meant gracious and satisfying. Satisfied, Myra thought would be an agreeable name to nurture her child abundantly.”

Published by Page Publishing, Armida Nagy Rose’s captivating tale takes readers into Ana’s world and beckons them to discover how her story unfolds.

Readers who wish to experience this thrilling work can purchase “Even a Crow Knows How to Crack a Walnut in Clear Light” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

Thoughts Beyond The Armida Trilogy–Symbols Matter .01

An early human scratched this hashtag pattern into a red ochre stone at Blombos Cave in South Africa. It is estimated to be about 100,000 years old. Source: Science.org

Can you imagine the first symbol a hominid made about 100,000 years ago? It appears to have been a hashtag? What could it have been like for him or her to make the first downward line on a hard surface? It was generated more than likely by a thought that then became a symbol.  Maybe it was to say, “This is one, this one is two,” ad infinitum. The curve, then the circle, followed by a spiral? In each case, each marking was a symbol to generate a mark.

So, what is symbol? A mark, sign, or word that represents an idea, object, color, relationship, or answer. Symbols as allegories are interesting. Every plot element in an allegory represents something in the story. For example, in Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” everything in the cave is an allegory—from the cave to the people, fire, shadows, and chains. Plato explained the allegory by saying that “Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed by the masses.” He speaks to the ignorance of humanity trapped in the conventional ethics formed by society. 

In Buddhism, the cave is a metaphor used to illustrate the illusory nature of the material world.  The cave represents the human condition where individuals are trapped in a limited perception of reality.  The shadows cast on the cave wall represent the material world, which is a reflection of deeper truths that can only be understood through philosophical inquiry and enlightenment.

Albeit related to symbolism, a metaphor compares two seemingly unrelated things, stating that one thing is another. In the Armida Trilogy, there are several such metaphors; however, the three novels are laden with symbolism. In fact, each chapter of two of the books is introduced with a symbol. And, Book II offers a chart of the symbols as used in Choir of Cloistered Canaries.

 In the first chapter of Daughters of the Dance, long hair becomes a symbol of the first character—her long hair is likened to her headdress.  It was, in biblical times, a way of identifying an individual’s social status and cultural identity. For women in biblical times, long hair was associated with femininity, beauty, modesty, and submission to a higher authority (both the husband and God).

In Choir of Cloistered Canaries, water as a healing element is present to symbolize life and vitality, purity and renewal, emotional depth, spiritual significance, and cultural importance.  In case we forget, the average percentage of water in the human body is roughly 60%. The percentage range of water varies slightly, usually within a 50 to 75 percent range. Water, moreover, has many uses in chemical processes as a working fluid to convert heat energy to mechanical energy. There is historical reference as to how a historical woman, Maria Hebraea (c. 300 C.E.) who invented several kinds of chemical apparatus such as the bain-marie. She made distillation a new invention. Carl Jung used Maria’s axiom—“One becomes two, two becomes three, and out of the third comes s the one as the fourth”—as a metaphor for wholeness and individuation.  Afterall, Maria was known for her alchemy, the first known Western alchemist.

There is another analogy to Choir of Cloistered Canaries that is embedded in the title:  “Cloistered,” synonymous with “caged.” In Buddhism, the cage refers to the idea that the mind and body are like a bird in a cage. The bird sees that it is not able to fly freely, thus the metaphor illustrates a sense of disenchantment and the desire for liberation from suffering. Unlike our current environment where we have to put up and shut up, it becomes difficult to recognize that there is a way out of the cage.  Book Three addresses this conundrum or challenge.

The third book, Even a Crow Knows How to Crack a Walnut in Clear Light, uses the Star of David to highlight the lost memory of two acute angle triangles, one inverted over the other (the Mazzorath). It reflects an origin from the Vedic and Upanishadic India around the first half of the first millennium B.C.E. In early Indian thought, the two halves (or acute angle triangles described the primordial Self split into two parts (male and female). Later, the Yin-Yang concepts in Taoism came about as early as the 14th-13th century B.C.E.  The Yin represents moon energy associated with reflection, inner awareness, and sensitivity; the Yang represents the sun energy associated with activity, dynamism, and vitality. This lays the foundation of Ana and her mother to find agency in a world still governed by male conventions in the 21st century. Thus, the Armida Trilogy reflects the struggle of women as the setting and finally a resolution to the challenge of being human and feminine.

As a mental exercise on current events, how would you view what the following gallery of images portrays? What do they symbolize?