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The category "Energy Centers" has 8 subcategories.
15.12 Questioner: How does an individual go about balancing himself? What is the first step?
Ra: I am Ra. The steps are only one; that is, an understanding of the energy centers which make up the mind/body/spirit complex. This understanding may be briefly summarized as follows:
The first balancing is of the Malkuth*, or Earth, vibratory energy complex, called the red-ray complex. An understanding and acceptance of this energy is fundamental.
The next energy complex which may be blocked is the emotional or personal complex, also known as the orange-ray complex. This blockage will often demonstrate itself as personal eccentricities or distortions with regard to self-conscious understanding or acceptance of self.
The third blockage resembles most closely that which you have called ego. It is the yellow-ray or solar plexus* center. Blockages in this center will often manifest as distortions towards power, manipulation, and other social behaviors concerning those close and those associated with the mind/body/spirit complex.
Those with blockages in these first three energy centers, or nexi, will have continuing difficulties in ability to further their seeking of the Law of One.
The center of heart, or green ray, is the center from which third-density beings may springboard, shall we say, towards infinite intelligence. Blockages in this area may manifest as difficulties in expressing what you may call universal love or compassion.
The blue-ray center of energy streaming is the center which, for the first time, is outgoing as well as inpouring. Those blocked in this area may have difficulty in grasping the spirit/mind complexes of its own entity and further difficulty in expressing such understandings of self. Entities blocked in this area may have difficulties in accepting communication from other mind/body/spirit complexes.
The next center is the pineal or indigo-ray center. Those blocked in this center may experience a lessening of the influx of intelligent energy due to manifestations which appear as unworthiness. This is that of which you spoke. As you can see, this is but one of many distortions due to the several points of energy influx into the mind/body/spirit complex. The indigo-ray balancing is quite central to the type of work which revolves about the spirit complex, which has its influx then into the transformation or transmutation of third density to fourth density, it being the energy center receiving the least-distorted outpourings of love/light from intelligent energy and having also the potential for the key to the gateway of intelligent infinity.
The remaining center of energy influx is simply the total expression of the entity's vibratory complex of mind, body, and spirit. It is as it will be, "balanced" or "imbalanced" has no meaning at this energy level, for it gives and takes in its own balance. Whatever the distortion may be, it cannot be manipulated as can the others and, therefore, has no particular importance in viewing the balancing of an entity.
17.39 Questioner: Then is it necessary to penetrate one plane at a time as we move from what we call third-density physical through these planes?
Ra: I am Ra. It has been our experience that some penetrate several planes at one time. Others penetrate them slowly. Some in eagerness attempt to penetrate the higher planes before penetrating the energies of the so-called lower or more fundamental planes. This causes energy imbalance.
You will find ill health, as you call this distortion, to frequently be the result of a subtle mismatch of energies in which some of the higher energy levels are being activated by the conscious attempts of the entity while the entity has not penetrated the lower energy centers or sub-densities of this density.
32.13 Questioner: Thank you. Is it possible for an entity in third-density physical to vary widely across the entire band of colors or is the entity pretty well zeroed in on one color?
Ra: I am Ra. This will be the last full question of this working. Please restate for clarity.
34.15 Questioner: You just used the term third ray in that statement. Was that the term you meant to use?
Ra: I am Ra. We intended the green ray. Our difficulty lies in our perception of red ray and violet ray as fixed; thus the inner rays are those which are varying and are to be observed as those indications of seniority in the attempts to form an harvest.
39.10 Questioner: I sense that there is fruitful ground for investigation of our development in tracing the evolution of the bodily energy centers because these seven centers seem to be linked with all of the sevens that I spoke of previously and be central to our own development. Could you describe the process of evolution of these bodily energy centers starting with the most primitive form of life to have them?
Ra: I am Ra. This material has been covered previously to some extent. Therefore, we shall not repeat information upon which rays dwell in first and second density and the wherefores of this, but rather attempt to enlarge upon this information.
The basic pivotal points of each level of development; that is, each density beyond second, may be seen to be as follows: Firstly, the basic energy of so-called red ray. This ray may be understood to be the basic strengthening ray for each density. It shall never be condescended to as less important or productive of spiritual evolution, for it is the foundation ray.
The next foundation ray is yellow. This is the great stepping stone ray. At this ray the mind/body potentiates to its fullest balance. The strong red/orange/yellow triad springboards the entity into the center ray of green. This is again a basic ray but not a primary ray.
This is the resource for spiritual work. When green ray has been activated we find the third primary ray being able to begin potentiation. This is the first true spiritual ray in that all transfers are of an integrated mind/body/spirit nature. The blue ray seats the learning/teachings of the spirit in each density within the mind/body complex, animating the whole, communicating to others this entirety of beingness.
The indigo ray, though precious, is that ray worked upon only by the adept, as you would call it. It is the gateway to intelligent infinity bringing intelligent energy through. This is the energy center worked upon in those teachings considered inner, hidden, and occult, for this ray is that which is infinite in its possibilities. As you are aware, those who heal, teach, and work for the Creator in any way which may be seen to be both radiant and balanced are those activities which are indigo ray.
As you are aware, the violet ray is constant and does not figure into a discussion of the functions of ray activation in that it is the mark, the register, the identity, the true vibration of an entity.
39.12 Questioner: Is this also true of all the other rays?
Ra: I am Ra. We shall answer briefly. You may question further at another working.
The negative ray pattern is the red/orange/yellow moving directly to the blue [indigo?]*, this being only used in order to contact intelligent infinity.
In positively oriented entities the configuration is even, crystallinely clear, and of the seven ray description.
Are there any short queries before we leave this instrument?
40.4 Questioner: Then the bodily energy centers for an individual would be, assuming that the individual evolves in a straight line from first through to eighth density, would each of these energy centers, centers or chakras be activated to completion if everything worked as it should? Would each be activated to completion and greatest intensity by the end of the experience in each density?
Ra: I am Ra. Hypothetically speaking, this is correct. However, the fully activated being is rare. Much emphasis is laid upon the harmonies and balances of individuals. It is necessary for graduation across densities for the primary energy centers to be functioning in such a way as to communicate with intelligent infinity and to appreciate and bask in this light in all of its purity. However, to fully activate each energy center is the mastery of few, for each center has a variable speed of rotation or activity. The important observation to be made once all necessary centers are activated to the minimal necessary degree is the harmony and balance between these energy centers.
41.19 Questioner: Thank you. In yesterday's, or the day before yesterday's session, you mentioned variable speed of rotation or activity of energy centers. What did you mean by that, speed of rotation?
Ra: I am Ra. Each energy center has a wide range of rotational speed or as you may see it more clearly in relation to color, brilliance. The more strongly the will of the entity concentrates upon and refines or purifies each energy center, the more brilliant or rotationally active each energy center will be. It is not necessary for the energy centers to be activated in order in the case of the self-aware entity. Thusly entities may have extremely brilliant energy centers while being quite unbalanced in their violet-ray aspect due to lack of attention paid to the totality of experience of the entity.
The key to balance may then be seen in the unstudied, spontaneous, and honest response of entities toward experiences, thus using experience to the utmost, then applying the balancing exercises and achieving the proper attitude for the most purified spectrum of energy center manifestation in violet ray. This is why the brilliance or rotational speed of the energy centers is not considered above the balanced aspect or violet-ray manifestation of an entity in regarding harvestability; for those entities which are unbalanced, especially as to the primary rays, will not be capable of sustaining the impact of the love and light of intelligent infinity to the extent necessary for harvest.
41.25 Questioner: Why are the red, yellow, and blue energy centers called primary centers? I think from the previous material I understand this, but is there some tracing of these primary colors back to intelligent infinity that is more profound than what you have given us?
Ra: I am Ra. We cannot say what may seem profound to an entity. The red, yellow, and blue rays are primary because they signify activity of a primary nature.
Red ray is the foundation; orange ray the movement towards yellow ray which is the ray of self-awareness and interaction. Green ray is the movement through various experiences of energy exchanges having to do with compassion and all-forgiving love to the primary blue ray which is the first ray of radiation of self regardless of any actions from another.
The green-ray entity is ineffectual in the face of blockage from other-selves. The blue-ray entity is a co-Creator. This may perhaps simply be a restatement of previous activity, but if you consider the function of the Logos as representative of the Infinite Creator in effectuating the knowing of the Creator by the Creator you may perhaps see the steps by which this may be accomplished.
May we ask for one final full question before we leave this working?
47.8 Questioner: In our esoteric literature numerous bodies are listed. I have here a list of the physical body, the etheric, the emotional, the astral, and the mental. Can you tell me if this listing is the proper number, and can you tell me the uses and purposes and effects, etc., of each of these or any other bodies that may be in our mind/body/spirit complex?
Ra: I am Ra. To answer your query fully would be the work of many sessions such as this one, for the interrelationships of the various bodies and each body's effects in various situations is an enormous study. However, we shall begin by referring your minds back to the spectrum of true colors and the usage of this understanding in grasping the various densities of your octave.
We have the number seven repeated from the macrocosm to the microcosm in structure and experience. Therefore, it would only be expected that there would be seven basic bodies which we would perhaps be most lucid by stating as red-ray body, etc. However, we are aware that you wish to correspond these bodies mentioned with the color rays. This will be confusing, for various teachers have offered their teach/learning understanding in various terms. Thus one may name a subtle body one thing and another find a different name.
The red-ray body is your chemical body. However, it is not the body which you have as clothing in the physical. It is the unconstructed material of the body, the elemental body without form. This basic unformed material body is important to understand for there are healings which may be carried out by the simple understanding of the elements present in the physical vehicle.
The orange-ray body is the physical body complex. This body complex is still not the body you inhabit but rather the body formed without self-awareness, the body in the womb before the spirit/mind complex enters. This body may live without the inhabitation of the mind and spirit complexes. However, it seldom does so.
The yellow-ray body is your physical vehicle which you know of at this time and in which you experience catalyst. This body has the mind/body/spirit characteristics and is equal to the physical illusion, as you have called it.
The green-ray body is that body which may be seen in séance when what you call ectoplasm* is furnished. This is a lighter body packed more densely with life. You may call this the astral body following some other teachings. Others have called this same body the etheric body. However, this is not correct in the sense that the etheric body is that body of gateway wherein intelligent energy is able to mold the mind/body/spirit complex.
The light body or blue-ray body may be called the devachanic body. There are many other names for this body especially in your so-called Indian Sutras* or writings, for there are those among these peoples which have explored these regions and understand the various types of devachanic bodies. There are many, many types of bodies in each density, much like your own.
The indigo-ray body which we choose to call the etheric body is, as we have said, the gateway body. In this body form is substance and you may only see this body as that of light as it may mold itself as it desires.
The violet-ray body may perhaps be understood as what you might call the Buddha body or that body which is complete.
Each of these bodies has an effect upon your mind/body/spirit complex in your life beingness. The interrelationships, as we have said, are many and complex.
Perhaps one suggestion that may be indicated is this: The indigo-ray body may be used by the healer once the healer becomes able to place its consciousness in this etheric state. The violet-ray or Buddhic body is of equal efficacy to the healer for within it lies a sense of wholeness which is extremely close to unity with all that there is. These bodies are part of each entity and the proper use of them and understanding of them is, though far advanced from the standpoint of third-density harvest, nevertheless useful to the adept.
49.5 Questioner: Will you expand on the positive and negative magnetic polarizations in general and how it applies to, say, individuals and planets, etc.? I think there is a correlation here, but I'm not sure.
Ra: I am Ra. It is correct that there is a correlation between the energy field of an entity of your nature and planetary bodies, for all material is constructed by means of the dynamic tension of the magnetic field. The lines of force in both cases may be seen to be much like the interweaving spirals of the braided hair. Thus positive and negative wind and interweave forming geometric relationships in the energy fields of both persons, as you would call a mind/body/spirit complex, and planets.
The negative pole is the south pole or the lower pole. The north or upper pole is positive. The crisscrossings of these spiraling energies form primary, secondary, and tertiary energy centers. You are familiar with the primary energy centers of the physical, mental, and spiritual body complex. Secondary points of the crisscrossing of positive and negative center orientation revolve about several of your centers. The yellow-ray center may be seen to have secondary energy centers in elbow, in knee, and in the subtle bodies at a slight spacing from the physical vehicle at points describing diamonds about the entity's navel area surrounding the body.
One may examine each of the energy centers for such secondary centers. Some of your peoples work with these energy centers, and you call this acupuncture. However, it is to be noted that there are most often anomalies in the placement of the energy centers so that the scientific precision of this practice is brought into question. Like most scientific attempts at precision, it fails to take into account the unique qualities of each creation.
The most important concept to grasp about the energy field is that the lower or negative pole will draw the universal energy into itself from the cosmos. Therefrom it will move upward to be met and reacted to by the positive spiraling energy moving downward from within. The measure of an entity's level of ray activity is the locus wherein the south pole outer energy has been met by the inner spiraling positive energy.
As an entity grows more polarized this locus will move upwards. This phenomenon has been called by your peoples the kundalini*. However, it may better be thought of as the meeting place of cosmic and inner, shall we say, vibratory understanding. To attempt to raise the locus of this meeting without realizing the metaphysical principles of magnetism upon which this depends is to invite great imbalance.
50.2 Questioner: In the last session [you] made the statement that experiences are attracted to the entity through the south pole. Could you expand on that and give us a definition of what you mean?
Ra: I am Ra. It takes some consideration to accomplish the proper perspective for grasping the sense of the above information. The south or negative pole is one which attracts. It pulls unto itself those things magnetized to it. So with the mind/body/spirit complex. The in-flow of experience is of the south pole influx. You may consider this a simplistic statement.
The only specific part of this correctness is that the red-ray or foundation energy center, being the lowest or root energy center of the physical vehicle, will have the first opportunity to react to any experience. In this way only, you may see a physical locus of the south pole being identified with the root energy center. In every facet of mind and body the root or foundation will be given the opportunity to function first.
What is this opportunity but survival? This is the root possibility of response and may be found to be characteristic of the basic functions of both mind and body. You will find this instinct the strongest, and once this is balanced much is open to the seeker. The south pole then ceases blocking the experiential data and higher energy centers of mind and body become availed of the opportunity to use the experience drawn to it.
50.3 Questioner: Why do you say the experience is drawn to or attracted to the entity?
Ra: I am Ra. We say this due to our understanding that this is the nature of the phenomenon of experiential catalyst and its entry into the mind/body/spirit complex's awareness.
50.12 Questioner: Each of us feel, in meditation, energy on the head in various places. Could you tell me what this is, and what it signifies, and what the various places that we feel it signify?
Ra: I am Ra. Forgetting the pyramid will be of aid to you in the study of these experiences. The instreamings of energy are felt by the energy centers which need, and are prepared for, activation. Thus those who feel the stimulation at violet-ray level are getting just that. Those feeling it within the forehead between the brows are experiencing indigo ray and so forth. Those experiencing tinglings and visual images are having some blockage in the energy center being activated and thus the electrical body spreads this energy out and its effect is diffused.
Those not truly sincerely requesting this energy may yet feel it if the entities are not well-trained in psychic defense. Those not desirous of experiencing these sensations and activations and changes even upon the subconscious level will not experience anything due to their abilities at defense and armoring against change.
50.13 Questioner: Right now I'm getting two feelings simultaneously. Is this normal to get two at once?
Ra: I am Ra. The most normal for the adept is the following: the indigo stimulation activating that great gateway into healing, magical work, prayerful attention, and the radiance of being; and the stimulation of the violet ray which is the spiritual giving and taking from and to Creator, from Creator to Creator.
This is a desirable configuration.
Is there a brief query before we leave this instrument?
51.5 Questioner: Thank you. I would like to make a statement. I'm sure I'm somewhat off with this. It's a very difficult question to ask for me, because I don't really know what I'm talking about. But it seems to me, and you can tell me where I am going wrong with this statement, that we have seven bodies each corresponding to one of the seven colors of the spectrum and that energy that creates these seven bodies is a universal type of energy that streams into our planetary environment and comes in through seven energy centers that we have called chakras to develop and perfect these bodies, and this is…. Each of these bodies is in somehow related to the mental configuration that we have and the perfection of each of these bodies and the total instreaming, you might say, of this energy is a function of this mental configuration, and through this mental configuration we may block, to some extent, the instreamings of energy that create each of these seven bodies. Could you comment on where I am wrong and correct me in this that I have stated?
Ra: I am Ra. Your statement is substantially correct. To use the term "mental configuration" is to oversimplify the manners of blockage of instreaming which occur in your density. The mind complex has a relationship to the spirit and body complexes which is not fixed. Thus blockages may occur betwixt spirit and mind, or body and mind, upon many different levels. We reiterate that each energy center has seven sub-colors, let us say, for convenience. Thus spiritual/mental blockages combined with mental/bodily blockages may affect each of the energy centers in several differing ways. Thus you may see the subtle nature of the balancing and evolutionary process.
51.7 Questioner: You spoke an earlier time of rotational speeds of energy centers. Am I correct in assuming that this is a function of the blockage of the energy center and the less blocked it is, the higher speed of rotation, then indicating greater energy instreaming?
Ra: I am Ra. You are partially correct. In the first three energy centers a full unblocking of this energy will create speeds of rotation. As the entity develops the higher energy centers, however, these centers will then begin to express their nature by forming crystal structures. This is the higher or more balanced form of activation of energy centers as the space/time nature of this energy is transmuted to the time/space nature of regularization and balancing.
51.8 Questioner: What do you mean by crystal structures?
Ra: I am Ra. Each of the energy centers of the physical complex may be seen to have a distinctive crystalline structure in the more developed entity. Each will be somewhat different just as in your world no two snowflakes are alike. However, each is regular. The red energy center often is in the shape of the spoked wheel. The orange energy center in the flower shape containing three petals.
The yellow center again in a rounded shape, many faceted, as a star.
The green energy center sometimes called the lotus-shape, the number of points of crystalline structure dependent upon the strength of this center.
The blue energy center capable of having perhaps one hundred facets and capable of great flashing brilliance.
The indigo center a more quiet center which has the basic triangular or three-petaled shape in many, although some adepts who have balanced the lower energies may create more faceted forms.
The violet energy center is the least variable and is sometimes described in your philosophy as thousand-petaled as it is the sum of the mind/body/spirit complex distortion totality.
54.5 Questioner: Now, I am assuming that the different frequencies are separated, as we have said, into the seven colors, that each of these colors may be the basic frequency for a sub-Logos of our sun Logos and that a sub-Logos or, shall we say, an individual may activate any one of these basic frequency or colors and use the body that is generated from the activation of that frequency or color. Is this correct?
Ra: I am Ra. If we grasp your query correctly this is not correct in that the sub-sub-Logos resides, not in dimensionalities, but only in co-Creators, or mind/body/spirit complexes.
54.6 Questioner: What I meant was that a mind/body/spirit complex then can have a body activated that is one of these seven rays. Is this correct?
Ra: I am Ra. This is correct in the same sense as it is correct to state that any one may play a complex instrument which develops an euphonious* harmonic vibration complex such as your piano and can play this so well that it might offer concerts to the public, as you would say. In other words, although it is true that each true-color vehicle is available potentially there is skill and discipline needed in order to avail the self of the more advanced or lighter vehicles.
54.9 Questioner: Do all mind/body/spirit complexes in the entire creation have the seven energy centers once they have reached full development or development to the point where they can have seven energy centers?
Ra: I am Ra. These energy centers are in potential in macrocosm from the beginning of creation by the Logos. Coming out of timelessness, all is prepared. This is so of the infinite creation.
54.11 Questioner: I will make another statement. The mind/body/spirit complex may choose, because of the first distortion, a mental configuration that is sufficiently displaced from the configuration of the intelligent energy in a particular frequency or color of instreaming energy so as to block a portion of instreaming energy in that particular frequency or color. Is this statement correct?
Ra: I am Ra. Yes.
54.12 Questioner: This question may be no good, but I'll ask it. Can you give me an idea of the maximum percentage of this energy it's possible to block in any one color or does that make any sense?
Ra: I am Ra. There may be, in an entity's pattern of instreaming energy, a complete blockage in any energy or color or combination of energies or colors.
54.13 Questioner: OK. Then I assume that the first distortion is the, shall I say, motivator or what allows this blockage. Is this correct?
Ra: I am Ra. We wish no quibbling but prefer to avoid the use of terms such as the verb, to allow. Free will does not allow, nor would predetermination disallow, experiential distortions. Rather the Law of Confusion offers a free reach for the energies of each mind/body/spirit complex. The verb, to allow, would be considered pejorative* in that it suggests a polarity between right and wrong or allowed and not allowed. This may seem a minuscule point. However, to our best way of thinking it bears some weight.
54.26 Questioner: Can you describe the energy that enters any of these energy centers? Can you describe its path from its origin, its form, and its effect? I don't know if this is possible, but can you do that?
Ra: I am Ra. This is partially possible.
54.27 Questioner: Would you please do that?
Ra: The origin of all energy is the action of free will upon love. The nature of all energy is light. The means of its ingress into the mind/body/spirit complex is duple.
Firstly, there is the inner light which is Polaris of the self, the guiding star. This is the birthright and true nature of all entities. This energy dwells within.
The second point of ingress is the polar opposite of the North Star, shall we say, and may be seen, if you wish to use the physical body as an analog for the magnetic field, as coming through the feet from the earth and through the lower point of the spine. This point of ingress of the universal light energy is undifferentiated until it begins its filtering process through the energy centers. The requirements of each center and the efficiency with which the individual has learned to tap into the inner light determine the nature of the use made by the entity of these instreamings.
54.28 Questioner: Does experiential catalyst follow the same path? This may be a dumb question.
Ra: I am Ra. This is not a pointless question, for catalyst and the requirements or distortions of the energy centers are two concepts linked as tightly as two strands of rope.
54.29 Questioner: Then, you had mentioned in an earlier session that the experiential catalyst was first experienced by the south pole and appraised with its respect to survival, etc. That's why I asked the question, and I— can you expand on that concept?
Ra: I am Ra. We have addressed the filtering process by which in-coming energies are pulled upwards according to the distortions of each energy center and the strength of will or desire emanating from the awareness of inner light. If we may be more specific, please query with specificity.
54.30 Questioner: I'll make this statement which may be somewhat distorted and let you correct it. We have, coming through the feet and base of the spine, the total energy that the mind/body/spirit complex will receive in the way of what we call light. Each energy center as it is met filters out and uses a portion of this energy, red through violet. Is this correct?
Ra: I am Ra. This is largely correct. The exceptions are as follows: The energy ingress ends with indigo. The violet ray is a thermometer or indicator of the whole.
54.31 Questioner: As this energy is absorbed by the energy centers at some point it is not only absorbed into the being but radiates through the energy center outwardly. I believe this begins with the blue center and, and also occurs with the indigo and violet? Is this correct?
Ra: I am Ra. Firstly, we would state that we had not finished answering the previous query and may thus answer both in part by stating that in the fully activated entity, only that small portion of instreaming light needed to tune the energy center is used, the great remainder being free to be channeled and attracted upwards.
To answer your second question more fully we may say that it is correct that radiation without the necessity of response begins with blue ray although the green ray, being the great transitional ray, must be given all careful consideration, for until transfers of energy of all types has been experienced and mastered to a great extent, there will be blockages in the blue and indigo radiations.
Again, the violet emanation is, in this context, a resource from which, through indigo, intelligent infinity may be contacted. The radiation thereof will not be violet ray but rather green, blue, or indigo depending upon the nature of the type of intelligence which infinity has brought through into discernible energy.
The green-ray type of radiation in this case is the healing, the blue-ray the communication and inspiration, the indigo that energy of the adept which has its place in faith.
55.8 Questioner: Thank you. You stated an earlier time "until transfers of energy of all types have been experienced and mastered to a great extent, there will be blockages in the blue and indigo radiations." Could you explain that more fully?
Ra: I am Ra. At this space/time we have not covered the appropriate intermediate material. Please re-question at a more appropriate space/time nexus.
57.33 Questioner: Thank you. I want to go on more questioning on the pyramid, but I want to ask a question [name] has here. I'll throw it in at this point. Could you please expand on the concept of space/time and time/space and how to get past this, the concept of these things, and at what density level do these concepts no longer affect the individual?
Ra: I am Ra. This will be the last full query of this working. This instrument has some vital energy left. However, we become concerned with the increasing distortions of the body complex towards pain.
The space/time and time/space concepts are those concepts describing as mathematically as possible the relationships of your illusion, that which is seen to that which is unseen. These descriptive terms are clumsy. They, however, suffice for this work.
In the experiences of the mystical search for unity, these need never be considered, for they are but part of an illusory system. The seeker seeks the One. This One is to be sought, as we have said, by the balanced and self-accepting self, aware both of its apparent distortions and its total perfection. Resting in this balanced awareness, the entity then opens the self to the universe which it is. The light energy of all things may then be attracted by this intense seeking, and wherever the inner seeking meets the attracted cosmic prana, realization of the One takes place.
The purpose of clearing each energy center is to allow that meeting place to occur at the indigo-ray vibration, thus making contact with intelligent infinity and dissolving all illusions. Service-to-others is automatic at the released energy generated by this state of consciousness.
The space/time and time/space distinctions, as you understand them, do not hold sway except in third density. However, fourth, fifth, and to some extent, sixth, work within some system of polarized space/time and time/space.
The calculations necessary to move from one system to another through the dimensions are somewhat difficult. Therefore, we have the most difficulty sharing numerical concepts with you and take this opportunity to repeat our request that you monitor our numbers and query any that seem questionable.
Is there a brief query that we may answer before we leave this instrument?
58.20 Questioner: Why are these people able to do this? They seem to have no training; they just are able to do it.
Ra: I am Ra. They remember the disciplines necessary for this activity which is merely useful upon other true-color vibratory experiential nexi.
58.21 Questioner: Then you are saying that this wouldn't be useful in our present density. Will it be useful in fourth-density on this planet in the very near future?
Ra: I am Ra. The end of such energy focusing is to build, not to destroy, and it does become quite useful as, shall we say, an alternative to third-density building methods.
58.22 Questioner: Is it also used for healing?
Ra: I am Ra. No.
60.28 Questioner: Thank you. Are the chakras or bodily energy centers related to or do they operate like the pyramid energy funnel?
Ra: I am Ra. No.
60.31 Questioner: The instrument wished to know, when using the pendulum for discovering energy centers, if the back and forth motion meant anything rather than the circular motion?
Ra: I am Ra. This shall have to be the final question although this entity is still providing us with energy. It is experiencing the distortion towards pain.
The rotations having been discussed, we shall simply say that the weak back and forth motion indicates a partial blockage although not a complete blockage. The strong back and forth motion indicates the reverse of blockage which is over-stimulation of a chakra or energy center which is occurring in order to attempt to balance some difficulty in body or mind complex activity. This condition is not helpful to the entity as it is unbalanced. Are there any brief queries before we leave this instrument?
66.20 Questioner: I have a written question, two of them actually. The first is would you please list the polarities within the body which are related to the balancing of the energy centers of the various bodies of the unmanifested entity?
Ra: I am Ra. In this question there lies a great deal of thought which we appreciate. It is possible that the question itself may serve to aid meditations upon this particular subject. Each unmanifested self is unique. The basic polarities have to do with the balanced vibratory rates and relationships between the first three energy centers and, to a lesser extent, each of the other energy centers.
May we answer more specifically?
73.9 Questioner: Previously you stated— I believe I'm correct in say[ing] this— that where the two directions meet you have a measure, let us say, of the development of any particular mind/body/spirit complex. Am I correct?
Ra: I am Ra. This is correct.
75.23 Questioner: I am sorry for the confusion. Sometimes, as you say, sound vibration complexes are not very adequate, and I'm sorry.
You made the statement in a previous session that the true adept lives more and more as it is. Will you explain and expand upon that statement?
Ra: I am Ra. Each entity is the Creator. The entity, as it becomes more and more conscious of its self, gradually comes to the turning point at which it determines to seek either in service to others or in service to self. The seeker becomes the adept when it has balanced with minimal adequacy the energy centers red, orange, yellow, and blue with the addition of the green for the positive, thus moving into indigo work.
The adept then begins to do less of the preliminary or outer work, having to do with function, and begins to effect the inner work which has to do with being. As the adept becomes a more and more consciously crystallized entity it gradually manifests more and more of that which it always has been since before time; that is, the One Infinite Creator.
The original Law of One books are copyright ©1982, 1984, 1998 L/L Research. The Ra Contact books are copyright ©2018 L/L Research and Tobey Wheelock.
This site copyright ©2003–2024 Tobey Wheelock.
Questions? Comments? Email me: tw at law of one dot info.


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Talmudic authority; lived at Erfurt in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; a contemporary of Shalom of Neustadt, and a pupil of Meïr ben Baruch Faleri. According to A. Brüll, Hillel is identical with one "Hiller" who figures in a document of 1416 as having been nominated chief rabbi of Thuringia by Margrave Wilhelm (Ludewig, "Reliquiæ Manuscriptæ," x. 254). Hillel is said to have once left Erfurt for Palestine to fulfil a vow he had made to spend the remainder of his life in the Holy Land. On reaching Vienna he was seized with a longing to return, because he considered that the Talmudical school of Erfurt would suffer by his absence. He thereupon addressed himself to the rabbis, who canceled his vow (Moses Minz, Responsa, No. 97). Judah Minz says that he saw bills of divorce issued by the rabbinical college of Hillel which might serve as models for the spelling of proper names (Responsa, Nos. 54, 105).
- Brüll, in Kobak's Jeschurun, vi. 203;
- Adolph Jaraczewsky, Die Gesch. der Juden in Erfurt, p. 51;
- Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim, No. 882.


text:
Robert Russell Drake
New Horizons: February 2005
James and Justification by Faith
Also in this issue
James and Justification by Faith
by James S. Gidley
Justification: Its Necessity and Grounds
by Alan D. Strange
A Fresh Perspective on Jesus Christ
by Norman De Jong
Turning Points in American Presbyterian History
Part 2: Origins and Identity, 1706-1729
by D. G. Hart and John R. Muether
Jesus says in Luke 16:15, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly exalted among men is detestable in God's sight."
In this article, I want to tell you:
Primarily, I want to warn you about the other justification by faith. You have been rescued from it, but even today it is haunting you and trying to work its way back into your life.
Justification is the act of declaring someone just. To be just is to be righteousthat is, to have right standing. This is what happened in an Old Testament court. If a man was found to be guilty of a crime, then the judge condemned him. If a man was found to be innocent, then the judge declared him to be such. The judge didn't make him guilty or innocent, wicked or righteous. He just declared him to be what he was.
Against that background, hear what justification by faith is. Justification by faith is the scandal of the New Testament, because God, sitting as the absolutely pure and righteous judge, does what he forbade Israel ever to do in an Old Testament court of law. He pronounces someone righteous who is not righteous. He justifies the ungodly.
We have a great summary of this divine act of justification in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q/A 33: "What is justification? Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardons all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone."
We are accepted as righteous by God not because of any personal righteousness of our own, but because we have received the righteousness of Christ by believing and trusting in him. That the wicked can attain right standing with God through faith is the shock of the New Testament.
Are you ready now to hear what the other justification by faith isthe one that we must always be on guard against? People usually call it justification by works, but it is really another version of justification by faith. In the real justification by faith, you have faith in what Christ has done for you. In the false version, you have faith in what you do for yourself. You can't get away from it being an act of faith, an act of trust.
Luke's gospel is loaded with instances where Jesus rebukes people who justify themselves. In Luke 10:29, a lawyer who wants to justify himself asks, "Who is my neighbor?" In Luke 16:15, Jesus tells the Pharisees, "You are the ones who seek to justify yourselves in the sight of men." In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector to people trust in themselves that they are righteous, and view others with contempt.
You cannot get away from a doctrine of justification by faith. The only issue is, in whom do you put your faith? You cannot get away from the need to be justified, the need to be pronounced righteous by someone else or by your own heart. We have this need because we are made in the image of God. People were created to be in right standing before God and to receive his approval. There is nothing wrong with that approval, with being found well-pleasing to the God who loves righteousness. We are made to enjoy the Father's approval.
But here is the sad news: we are not righteous, and since we are not righteous, we can only get that desired verdict of approval by faith. Our faith is either going to be a faith in Christ, where he gives this verdict to us as a free gift, or it is going to be something that we try to put together ourselves.
You cannot get rid of your need to be in right standing, to be pronounced righteous. That's how we were created. Consider all the talk we hear these days about self-esteem. "Don't damage them. You have to give them approval." What is that? Their hearts are crying out for justification, for approval.
Here is the problem if you trust in yourself. You have to be selective. You cannot parade everything out there, or you are not going to be approved. You'll have to keep various corners of your life secret. You'll have to be deceptive. But Jesus says that that does not work. He says in Luke 16:15, "You are the ones who justify yourselves, but God knows your heart."
Here are some signs that the other justification by faith is creeping into our lives. Suppose you make a mistake, and someone points it out to you: "You turned left. I told you that you were supposed to turn right." You reply, "You didn't tell me to turn left. You said to turn right." Then a third person says, "No, she did say that you were supposed to turn left." Why is it that something inside of you rises up and does not want to say, "I was wrong. Thank you for that." Why is that? We hold to a justification by faith in ourselves because to admit our mistakes would threaten our right standing. It would threaten our approval rating.
Do you know that justification by faith in Jesus Christ is intended to set you free? It sets you free in the presence of God, sets you free before others, and sets you free in your heart. One of the signs of freedom is that you can afford to be wrong because your approval is ultimately coming from God.
If you get into an argument, do you have to have the last word? If you can't get the last word in, do you go off muttering to yourself, so that others will know how unhappy you are? Do you find people whom you can tell your version of what happenedpeople that you know will sympathize with you? When you do this, is it because you cannot allow your approval rating to decline?
Do you realize that justification by faith in Jesus Christ sets you free to lose an argument once in a while? One of the signs of freedom is that you can afford to allow the other person to have the last word because your approval ultimately comes from God.
Someone might say, "The trouble that I have with you is that you don't listen to what I say." If you respond, "I do too listen to what you say," you will probably not be convincing. Rather than justifying your actions, there is another way of responding, one where you help the other person out. When he says, "You don't listen," you respond, "Like last week when I did thisis that what you mean?" Help the other person with the evidence against you. Usually what happens is that the other person starts being merciful to you as you heap up the evidence against yourself, and in that way you get esteem. When you struggle for esteem, you will never get it.
What about signs of the other justification when the issue is sin? In our society we often hear pleas to tolerate such sins as abortion, homosexuality, illegitimacy, and promiscuity. Why do others need our approval? It is because they are made in the image of God, and they need to be declared righteous. Those who are justified by faith in Jesus Christ are free to say, "Go ahead and take the group's approval away."
We who are justified by faith in Jesus Christ often slip back into the habit of trying to be justified by faith in ourselves. Let me give you some examples. Why are we afraid to confess Christ before men? Could it be the embarrassment of losing our right standing and approval before men? Why do we refuse to repent, or why is it that halfway through our repentance we start shifting the blame to somebody else? Could it be to protect something? "Well, I know that I stole, but my dad is a thief, and his dad was a horse thiefit runs in the family." We have shifted the blame from ourself to others.
Why do we avoid using Matthew 18? When your brother sins, go to him and work it out between the two of you. Instead, we go off and tell our version of the story to one person or the other. Why is that? It is because if we go and actually talk to him, we put our right standing and approval rating at risk. Why are we sometimes so critical of others? It is because we want to look better by making the other person look worse. Justification by faith in ourselves keeps creeping in.
The other justification by faith is a threat that is always hovering over us to steal away the joy of the grace that is in Christ Jesus. There is no escaping the need for justification. We are made to be in right standing and to receive approval, but we are not righteous! And since we are not righteous, we can only become righteous by faith. The options are faith in ourselves and faith in Christ. Jesus says that God finds it disgusting when a sinner tries to justify himself in the sight of God. The only justification that works, the only justification that makes you fit to live with, is justification by faith in Christ.
What is justification? Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardons all our sins and accepteth us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone.
The author is pastor of Covenant Reformed PCA in Asheville, N.C. He provides his own Bible translations. Reprinted from New Horizons, February 2005.
New Horizons: February 2005
James and Justification by Faith
Also in this issue
James and Justification by Faith
by James S. Gidley
Justification: Its Necessity and Grounds
by Alan D. Strange
A Fresh Perspective on Jesus Christ
by Norman De Jong
Turning Points in American Presbyterian History
Part 2: Origins and Identity, 1706-1729
by D. G. Hart and John R. Muether
© 2024 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church


text:
- Home
- Our Community
- History
The site of present-day Webster was first discovered in 1669. French explorer LaSalle entered Irondequoit Bay, the land of the Seneca Indians, to explore Lake Ontario and look for inland waterways.
On July 25, 1837, Daniel Webster spoke to a large gathering of Whigs on the Rochester courthouse steps concerning currency regulation and the state of the economy. The Rochester Democrat editorialized that he was "the cleverest fellow in the world for embellishing a story." The Whig farmers from North Penfield, who were part of Daniel Webster's audience that day, were so impressed by his eloquence that, when they petitioned the state legislature for separate town status from Penfield, they chose to name it in his honor. On February 6, 1840, Governor William Seward announced the birth of Webster, New York. Originally part of North Penfield, land was split off to create the new town. Residents numbering 2,235 inhabited the new Webster. The first town meeting was held at John Lett's tavern, south of the present village.
Village Establishment
In the early 1900s, citizens feeling the need for better fire protection, sanitation facilities, lighting, water, and other improvements proposed that a separate village be incorporated within the town. On March 27, 1905, a referendum was approved by a 27-vote margin, resulting in the incorporation of the Village of Webster.
Webster Museum & Historical Society
Today, citizens interested in the history of Webster make up the Webster Museum and Historical Society. The Webster Museum has several permanent historical displays as well as changing feature displays at different times of the year.


text:
BRISTOL, Tenn.–Kyle Busch caught a glimpse of the future and it was in his rear view mirror coming to the final turn of Saturday's Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
"I'm 27 and I'm getting old," said Busch, after holding off 20-year-old NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate Kyle Larson in a finish that no doubt aged him slightly.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Larson, making his fourth NASCAR Nationwide Series start, trailed Busch by five car lengths with 10 laps to go but went high around lap traffic and traded paint with Busch as the two crossed the finish line .023 seconds apart, making it the second-closest finish ever at Bristol.
"I did everything I could to try to protect the momentum," Busch said. "A young kid like that, he's got a lot of talent. He's obviously made a name for himself. He was running hard, that's for sure. He brought a lot to the table today and brought his show to the fans. "
Coming to the finish line, Busch had a decision to make: Maintain the high line or go low around the lapped car of Brad Teague.
"There were two thoughts," Busch said. "You don't ever want to give anyone the bottom for a cheap shot. Two, I ran the top in (Turns) 1 and 2 and gained so much ground on (Teague), I was afraid I was going to run into the back of him coming off Turn 4–or I slow down any little bit and it hurts my run. Then Larson might have enough speed on the bottom to beat me back to the line. Knowing that the start-finish line is only halfway down the straightaway, I just needed to lunge off the corner to make it."
Larson, from Elk Grove, Calif., was happy to see Busch go low.
"I tried a couple of moves on Kyle around the bottom and (my car) was just a little too tight off (the corner) to get back to the throttle. The last lap, I was pretty happy he went to the bottom to block a slide-job or whatever. It gave me one more shot to try to get around him and he left me just enough room to squeeze the outside. I just missed it by a couple of feet, but it was a lot of fun."
Driving the No. 32 Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet, Larson entered the race simply seeking a solid result after finishing no better than 13th in any of his first three starts. "We'd kind of been digging ourselves a hole," he said.
Busch, who started 13th, noted that although Larson didn't win the race, he won a measure of respect.
"You certainly want to win races the right way," he said. "Coming up, running races in the Nationwide Series, Cup Series, I didn't win a lot, but the ones that I did–there's a way of going about things. There's the way I did it and the way (Brad) Keselowski did it–ruffling a lot of feathers.
"(Larson) played it smart today. That was good on his end. I think a lot of people have been looking at him to try to see whether he was going to be a wrecker or a checker. Today he didn't get the checker. That will come. If you're driving into the corner and driving into the back of me–I'm going to be here for a while. … He's not going to have fun dealing with me every week. Right now, I'm going to race him as hard as he raced me but just as clean as he raced me. "
Busch, who made NASCAR history at Bristol in 2010 when he became the first driver to win all three national touring events in the same weekend, appears to be in the midst of another potentially dominant weekend. He will sit on the pole for Sunday's Food City 500 and also turned the fastest laps in both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice sessions on Saturday.
But Larson turned what looked like it would be a battle between Busch and veteran Kevin Harvick into a three-dog fight.
"I was catching them. I wasn't sure what I was going to do when I got to them," said Larson, who stayed on the gas as the two leaders battled their way through lap traffic.
Busch led 92 of the first 225 laps, however the run for the money began about Lap 230 when Busch and Harvick approached a five-car group of slower cars. It took nearly 10 laps for the lead duo to clear the pack and by the time they did, Larson was applying pressure.
Harvick, who led 43 laps, elected to pit under caution with 32 laps remaining. Unable to match Busch's speed while running low on the track and slated to restart on the inside lane, Harvick elected to take four fresh tires. He restarted eighth and finished fifth.
Brian Vickers and Sam Hornish Jr., finished third and fourth. Hornish extended his series lead to 22 points over Justin Allgaier, the pole-sitter who led the first 62 laps but settled for eighth.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Race — Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 300
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
Saturday, March 16, 2013
1. (13) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 300, $51450.
2. (12) Kyle Larson #, Chevrolet, 300, $46634.
3. (14) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 300, $28800.
4. (3) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 300, $32416.
5. (7) Kevin Harvick(i), Chevrolet, 300, $25575.
6. (4) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 300, $21900.
7. (11) Chris Buescher, Ford, 300, $21535.
8. (1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 300, $31461.
9. (16) Parker Kligerman, Toyota, 300, $27841.
10. (8) Brian Scott, Chevrolet, 300, $28766.
11. (2) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 300, $27291.
12. (10) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 300, $27191.
13. (9) Mike Bliss, Toyota, 300, $27091.
14. (15) Alex Bowman #, Toyota, 300, $27041.
15. (6) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 299, $20850.
16. (18) Travis Pastrana, Ford, 299, $27541.
17. (34) John Wes Townley(i), Toyota, 299, $20200.
18. (17) Reed Sorenson, Ford, 299, $26816.
19. (26) Josh Wise, Chevrolet, 298, $26716.
20. (29) Scott Riggs(i), Ford, 298, $27341.
21. (24) Eric McClure, Toyota, 296, $26591.
22. (27) Brad Sweet, Chevrolet, 296, $26541.
23. (33) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet, 296, $26491.
24. (20) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, 293, $26441.
25. (39) Blake Koch, Toyota, 292, $26866.
26. (31) Dexter Stacey #, Ford, 292, $19650.
27. (37) Robert Richardson Jr., Chevrolet, 291, $26266.
28. (36) Mike Harmon, Chevrolet, 285, $26191.
29. (38) Brad Teague, Toyota, 271, $26141.
30. (35) Jason White, Toyota, Accident, 261, $25891.
31. (25) Hal Martin #, Toyota, Accident, 158, $25386.
32. (30) Jeffrey Earnhardt #, Ford, Accident, 157, $25251.
33. (22) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, Accident, 122, $25136.
34. (19) Nelson Piquet Jr. #, Chevrolet, Accident, 104, $25101.
35. (32) Jamie Dick, Chevrolet, Accident, 102, $18405.
36. (5) Elliott Sadler, Toyota, Engine, 85, $24691.
37. (28) Jeff Green, Toyota, Vibration, 38, $16990.
38. (21) JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, Vibration, 7, $16931.
39. (23) Chase Miller, Chevrolet, Ignition, 7, $16830.
40. (40) Michael McDowell(i), Toyota, Handling, 2, $16805.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 81.872 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 57 Mins, 11 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.023 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 8 for 54 laps.
- NASCAR to debut new short track package at Phoenix - February 28, 2023
- The Wrench Who Stole Racing - December 16, 2022
- Matt DiBenedetto's excellent run comes to abrupt, violent end - February 17, 2019


text:
Библиотека сайта rus-linux.net
Next: The NFS Daemons Up: The Network File System Previous: Preparing NFS
Mounting an NFS Volume
NFS volumes are mounted very much the way usual file systems are mounted. You invoke mount using the following syntax:# mount -t nfs nfs volume local dir optionsnfs_volume is given as remote_host:remote_dir. Since this notation is unique to NFS file systems, you can leave out the -t nfs option.
There are a number of additional options that you may specify to mount upon mounting an NFS volume. These may either be given following the -o switch on the command line, or in the options field of the /etc/fstab entry for the volume. In both cases, multiple options are separated from each other by commas. Options specified on the command line always override those given in the fstab file.
A sample entry in /etc/fstab might be
# volume mount point type options news:/usr/spool/news /usr/spool/news nfs timeo=14,intrThis volume may then be mounted using
# mount news:/usr/spool/newsIn the absence of a fstab entry, NFS mount invocations look a lot uglier. For instance, suppose you mount your users' home directories from a machine named moonshot, which uses a default block size of 4K for read/write operations. You might decrease block size to 2K to suit ' datagram size limit by issuing
# mount moonshot:/home /home -o rsize=2048,wsize=2048The list of all valid options is described in its entirety in the nfs(5) manual page that comes with Rick Sladkey's NFS-aware mount tool which can be found in Rik Faith's util-linux package). The following is an incomplete list of those you would probably want to use:
- rsize=n and wsize=n
- These specify the datagram size used by the NFS clients on read and write requests, respectively. They cur- rently default to 1024 bytes, due to the limit on UDP datagram size described above.
- timeo=n
- This sets the time (in tenths of a second) the NFS client will wait for a request to complete. The default values is 0.7 sec- onds.
- hard
- Explicitly mark this volume as hard-mounted. This is on by default.
- soft
- Soft-mount the driver (as opposed to hard-mount).
- intr
- Allow signals to interrupt an NFS call. Useful for aborting when the server doesn't respond.
By default, a major timeout will cause the client to print a message to the console and start all over again, this time with an initial timeout interval twice that of the previous cascade. Potentially, this may go on forever. Volumes that stubbornly retry an operation until the server becomes available again are called hard-mounted. The opposite variety, soft-mounted volumes gerenates an I/O error for the calling process whenever a major timeout occurs. Because of the write-behind introduced by the buffer cache, this error condition is not propagated to the process itself before it calls the write(2) function the next time, so a program can never be sure that a write operation to a soft-mounted volume has succeeded at all.
Whether you hard- or soft-mount a volume is not simply a question of taste, but also has to do with what sort of information you want to access from this volume. For example, if you mount your X-programs by NFS, you certainly would not want your X-session to go berserk just because someone brought the network to a grinding halt by firing up seven copies of xv at the same time, or by pulling the Ethernet plug for a moment. By hard-mounting these, you make sure that your computer will wait until it is able to re-establish contact with your NFS-server. On the other hand, non-critical data such as NFS-mounted news partitions or FTP archives may as well be soft-mounted, so it doesn't hang your session in case the remote machine should be temporarily unreachable, or down. If your network connection to the server is flaky or goes through a loaded router, you may either increase the initial timeout using the timeo option, or hard-mount the volumes, but allow for signals interrupting the NFS call so that you may still abort any hanging file access.
Usually, the mountd daemon will in some way or other keep track of which directories have been mounted by what hosts. This information can be displayed using the showmount program, which is also included in the NFS server package. The mountd, however, does not do this yet.
Next: The NFS Daemons Up: The Network File System Previous: Preparing NFS Andrew Anderson
Thu Mar 7 23:22:06 EST 1996


text:
"If a personal care product is a gourmet meal, silicones should be the salt and spice and not the meat and potatoes."
—Anthony J. O'Lenick Jr.
Bad news always makes headlines while good news is buried on Page 43, if mentioned at all. Lately, this is the case with silicones when some questions arose concerning their safety, particularly in regard to the environment. And the saber rattling in regulatory agencies, particularly those in Canada, seemed to threaten the industry. But when an extensively researched report clearly validating the safety of silicones in personal care was issued,1 consumer media was strangely silent.
Silicone-based molecules have unique properties and many uses in personal care; however, confusion over the chemistry has caused undue concern. While silicon (no "e" at the end) is an atom, larger polymeric structures formed from it are called silicones; and while an element such as carbon bonds to itself (–C-C-C-C-C-), silicon needs an oxygen in between (–Si-O-Si-O-Si-O-Si-). Concern centers on cyclic silicones, rings formed having four or five silicon atoms, also known as D4 or D5. The D comes from the standard shorthand for silicone units: M (mono), D (di), T (tri), Q (quat). It is easy to see how a row of D units swallowing its tail can form a ring, and how appending the number of D units results in D4, D5, D6—and the problems with cyclic silicones will be discussed later in this column.
Silicon accounts for 28% of the mass of the earth's crust, so it is hardly an exotic material. The sand on a beach, concrete and computer chips are all created from silicones. Yet we now have to consider if chemically altered silicones are biodegradable or toxic to the environment. Also, as far as silicones being "natural," even though the process starts with sand, so much energy and synthetic chemistry is employed to develop the silicones used in commerce that one is loathe to consider the process "green."
Considering these questions as well as the aforementioned regulatory concerns rocking the foundations of the beauty industry, many companies have moved away from using some silicones as a precautionary response. Only one type of silicone—cyclic methylsiloxane—remains in the crosshairs, but it constituted 64% of the poundage of silicones used in 2009.2 To understand the problem, we must understand why one silicone is safe and appropriate for use in personal care and why there are issues with another kind of silicone.
D4 and The Environment
Human toxicity is not an issue for any silicones utilized in personal care. Genuine concerns arise with the chemical properties of cyclic silicones that determine their fate in the environment. Stevens3 provided a valuable survey, summarized here, of his examination of cyclopentasiloxane, a D4. Though D4 is no longer widely used, the issues demonstrated project onto other cyclic silicones.
Some silicones such as cyclics are volatile, meaning they evaporate readily into the atmosphere. Dimethicones are not. D4 is especially of concern due to its volatility and high molecular weight, 296.
In examining silicones and their fate, one quickly encounters Henry's Law. In simple terms, it is a relation between the vapor over a liquid to the gases dissolved in the liquid. This is clearly demonstrated by a bottle of carbonated beverage. When the bottle is sealed, the bubbles remain in the liquid; when opened, the gas escapes and the beverage goes flat. That is Henry's Law in action. For silicones, the law is a key property determining if a molecule will partition in soil, water or air.
A high Henry's Law Constant for D4 is the consequence of high vapor pressure and low water solubility, thus D4 directly enters the atmosphere. In "down-the-drain" products such as hair conditioners, most of the D4 will go from waste water into the air. Degradation takes place over a time span of approximately a week to a month,4 enough time for long range atmospheric transport. Dimethicones, by contrast, primarily migrate to soil or sludge where they degrade readily into silicone dioxide, water and carbon dioxide with no adverse environmental consequences.
D5 has replaced D4 but the debate continues with regulators, especially in Canada where concerns have been raised that D5 may also be bioaccumulative.* However, a simple drop-in replacement is not available for D5, and it is employed in various personal care products. Antiperspirants, for instance, rely more heavily on D5 than any other product, and its volatility and feel are essential to the performance that users expect. Hair and skin applications hinge more on feel than volatility, so alternatives have already been proposed. (Discussions on these alternatives and suppliers that provide them are available at www.CosmeticsandToiletries.com; ingredient listings are available by clicking the "Directory" tab on www.GCImagazine.com. In addition, a number of ingredient suppliers fully support silicone lines containing cyclomethicone while also offering numerous cyclic-free choices).
Few commercial beauty products prominently claim to be silicone-free. Makeup, particularly face primers, seem to be an exception—with Korres Face Primer, Exuberance's Helichrysum Silicone-Free Makeup Primer and Tarte's ReCreate Silicone-Free Primer as notable examples making silicone-free claims.
An Outlook
A positive sign for the current status of silicones is that they do not appear on the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics list of "Chemicals of Concern." The biggest difference between the silicone issue and phthalates, another ingredient type under heavy regulatory and NGO scrutiny, is that silicones are an environmental concern rather than a human health one. It is also clear that, despite the claims of non-industry special interest groups, the beauty industry and regulators actively investigate both human and environmental issues far more intensively than consumers or activists realize. The official industry response regarding silicones is coordinated by Silicones Environmental, Health & Safety Council of North America5 and the European Silicones Centre.6
It is unlikely that silicones will ever become a lightning rod for conspiracy theories like diethyl phthalate and parabens have. The issues will probably be solved through rational analysis of the science by national regulatory agencies, and there, the science is very positive for confirming the human safety of cyclic silicones. There will be some minor push back from a few consumer companies but the cyclic silicones are far too valuable to be broadly eliminated simply as a precautionary step.
For additional reading on silicones and other ingredient types in the crosshairs, read "Controversial Ingredients: One Brand's Perspective," published by GCI in December 2011.
- ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_029.pdf (Accessed Feb 20, 2012)
- pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/89/8918cover.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter (Accessed Feb 20, 2012)
- C Stevens, Environmental fate and effects of dimethicone and cyclotetrasiloxane from personal care applications,Int J Cosm Sci, 20, 297–305 (1998)
- J Lambert, Silicone Safety in the Cosmetic Industry, Cosm Toil, Nov 2011
- www.sehsc.com (Accessed Feb 20, 2012)
- www.silicones.eu (Accessed Feb 20, 2012)