We all know that the sky isn’t empty anymore but crowded by planes. And we know that radar surveillance works to conduct that traffic and sometimes a plane comes down unexpectedly. But I was much astonished when I saw the website FlightRadar24, where you can see the life traffic in many parts of the world. You see where a plane started, where it’s about to go and at what height and speed it is travelling.

There is a tremendous traffic going on over Europe – like a swarm of birds, but flying in all kinds of directions.

A print screen from FlightRadar24

On their website they write:

“The technology we use to receive flight information from aircraft is called ADS-B. Roughly 60% of all passenger aircraft around the world are equipped with an ADS-B transponder. However, this percentage will continue to grow….

Flightradar24 is a flight tracking service that provides you with real-time info about thousands of aircraft around the world. Our service is currently available online and for your iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) or Android device plus for your Mac OS computer. Read more about our flight tracking apps….

Flightradar24 started as a hobby project in 2006 when two Swedish aviation geeks decided to build a network of ADS-B receivers in Northern and Central Europe. In 2009 we opened up the network, and made it possible for anyone with an ADS-B receiver to upload data to the network. Many parts of the world were quickly covered, but the quest to provide global ADS-B coverage is still ongoing. Hopefully with your support, we will get there….”

So not all areas of the world are covered – where there are no data fed to the network of FlightRadar24, there is no information.

Real-time flight traffic, data from FlightRadar24 (c)

Wednesday my forces had quite well recovered from the 3 days of “inner cleansing”. So we could start our journey back to Barcelona / Matadepera as planned. When we wanted to start I saw that our navigation device which I had put under the seat had been crashed by moving the seat. It only showed the map, there was no way of programming the course… Fortunately we had a map of Spain and a more detailed one Catalonia. Ignacio explained the best way out of Madrid and so we set off.

The countryside was arid and for some time the highway went through a desert. At a point there was a sign saying we were just crossing the 0 meridian of the longitude of Greenwich. We hadn’t been aware that we had been so much to the south-west.

We managed quite well to find our way through the labyrinth of streets in the outskirts of Barcelona. When arriving at the house of Aurora and Josep their youngest son who was playing music with some friends in the garage told us that we were invited to come that night to the house of Josep P. and Fabiola for dinner, together with Aurora and Josep. Without a navigation it wouldn’t be possible to go there – so Josep P. picked us up. We know each other since many years. Josep is about my age, but now retired from a job in a bank – and free for other work. He is an old theosophist and since many years in the WTT. Already in the car Josep told me about his publication work for Ediciones Dhanishta and his theosophical work, which he later showed me in his home – a simple apartment in the centre of Sabadell. We had a fascinating talk about experiences and researches.

In the meanwhile Fabiola had prepared the dinner and our other friends had arrived. And while the others were enjoying their dinner I kept to a diet, not to fall back into diarrhoea…

Early yesterday morning we set out on our journey back to Switzerland. While we were leaving Spain and the Mediterranean region I felt the circle of our journey closing – filled with intense experiences and exchanges – and gratitude. There had been many enriching encounters – the deeper ones couldn’t find expression in the blog.

Like always on long journey we were listening to audio-books from the library on the highway – we had a smooth flow, while on the other side of the road there had been several jams due to accidents. We felt grateful towards our guardian angels.

For 6 days I wasn’t online and so here comes an update from the

A ride through a scorched countryside brought us from Valencia to Madrid, where we arrived Saturday evening at the apartment of Ignacio in the centre of the city. He is of my age, working as an advocate and since many years deeply committed to his spiritual path. Several times we had shared rooms in India. He and Irene gave us a warm welcome and we spent the evening on his inner quadrangle terrace. Ignacio had a set of Osho Zen Tarot, and he playfully laid out some card for me and gave some explanations about my present situation. He said: “You must let go, let go of something you are holding to…”

Next morning they wanted to go with us to Toledo, about one hour drive away from Madrid. In the night, however, I got a strong diarrhoea and first it seemed it wouldn’t be possible to go. But I didn’t want to let the diarrhoea decide about the tour and so we went nevertheless. The “letting go” started 🙂

Ignacio told us that Toledo is an important energy centre and that in olden times it had been the seat of the Spanish kings. When the seat was moved to Madrid the spiritual energy there was said to have shifted to South America and the importance of Spain had declined.

Together with some friends they had been doing a meditation work to clean the atmosphere. Toledo had been a very traditionalist city with a lot of military – and we saw a big military academy at the outskirts. Over the centuries it had been a place of strongly fighted over, in recent past between the Franco regime and their adversaries.
For over 6 years they have been going every week and on full moon / new moon to Toledo to do meditations and prayers. At the beginning Ignacio didn’t want to do it, but he felt the inner urge. But with the time they experienced that the atmosphere became much lighter. They had formed a group called The Brotherhood of the Eagle and organised meditations and inter-religious meetings in Toledo. They had invited several times Sri Kumar to come and he had given talks about the spiritual importance of this place, and he had also installed 2 lingams in the river Tajo.

A city gate with the two-headed eagle and a statue of St. Michael on the top.

Toledo is a fortified city and everywhere you see the sign of the double-headed eagle, the profound symbol of the city representing the spirit – one head looking east, one north. The river Tajo is also flowing around the city forming a silhouette of an eagle.

The Tajo river and the old town of Toledo

We met Irene and an old couple who live there outside on a mountain with a fantastic view over the city. The man was a retired architect who knew a lot about the history of Toledo. There was an eagle-shaped rock to which we climbed up to have a short meditation. A king of the Moors had sojourned at this place to have the magnificent view over the city, while the catholic Spanish kings had their place on the next hill. Ignacio had told me about his energetic visions about Toledo and we sensed a powerful energy over the country. For me it was like a dome of light forming a huge arc in the air.

The eagle-shaped rock.

A short meditation at the rock of the eagle, where the group had started their meditational work some years ago. Later they did it at the river and now they do it in the cathedral.

Later we went to a restaurant of a friend of Ignacio, who is also linked to the Brotherhood. He is a Syrian muslim, but very open. The name of his restaurant is El Cristo de la Luz – The Christ of Light, a name of a nearby church where during the times of the Moors an image of Christ had been hidden and later re-discovered.

Everywhere in the city, which is very well preserved, you could feel the cultural influences of the different religions which had come with the different rulers and inhabitants.

The cathedral of Toledo where we had done another short meditation

The White Synagogue, now a museum

The whole day I had been going from toilet to toilet, and while walking to the cathedral and two old synagogues now transformed into museums I felt very weak. And when we drove back to Madrid I dropped asleep only to awaken again while we were entering into the city. Huge avenues with palaces on either side gave an impressive picture of the grandeur of this nation which at the moment is under the clutches of a severe economic crisis. On the outside you don’t perceive it, but in talks with the people it is everywhere very present. And when we arrived at the home of Ignacio I immediately fell into bed, starting a turbulent night  and two days with diarrhoea and vomiting.

Tuesday evening we took a taxi to a pharmacy to get some homoeopathic medicine- another nearby “homoeopathic” pharmacy didn’t have homoeopathy… And then we went with the metro to the centre of the Brotherhood of the Eagle – which Ignacio had bought and was used by different groups for spiritual activities. It was on the same floor as the office of Ignacio. A silent place with bright colours and of course the eagle. Ignacio explained to us the meditational work they are doing. Another friend, Conchi, came quite a distance with her son to join us. Since I still felt quite weak they gave me an energetic treatment which did me very well.

Just around the corner there were two huge glass high-rises of a bank – fascinating to see for an “architectural eye”, but seen energetically they gave an ominous impression – the towers were leaning forward like ready to collapse. Our friend told us that this bank is badly hit by the crisis. I thought of the woman shouting for some charity in the Metro and the beggars in the streets. A strange contrast with the display of grandeur along the Castillana, the huge central avenue were we were standing.

We yesterday had a silent full moon day in the house of our friends in Valencia – intense talks and some subtle works. In the evening two other friends came. One told us about a nearby energetic spot, the Monastery of St. Michael in Lliria. So we decided to go there Friday morning. Together with Carlos we drove to Lliria where we already could see the monastery from the highway. But it was a bit difficult to find the way up – there were only few signs showing the way and we once took a “wrong” road – but we had a short stop to get nice tasting carob fruits we picked from some old trees.

When we entered the inner yard the guardian asked us if we are the friends of Sabina – she already had phoned there and also was coming to come. He opened for us the doors of the church and let us in and later he also opened for us the sacristy which was filled with statues of St. Michael and the Virgin.

The church wasn’t very old, but built at a place where there had been ritualistic temples already in very ancient times, and at the place of the “modern” monastery there had been an older one till the 19th century.

At the altar there was a beautiful huge statue of St. Michael fighting the dragon, and many paintings of angels at the roof. I thought of what H.P. Blavatsky explains about the dragon – the souls (our I AM) which descended into matter and which now ascends again towards the Light.

We felt the presence of some old departed souls which still clinged to the place and there was some “astral garbage” around, especially. We did a short ritual for releasing them, and when Sabina sang aloud a song to CVV I felt like going up above the church, sensing the presence of a most sublime deva energy radiating from this top all around over the country. We all felt much uplifted and joyful.

View from the monastery to the Mediterranean in the background. Our friend told us that she had several times seen from here UFO movements in the night coming up from the plains.

Afterwards the guardian told us about the history of the place, which was already used for ritualistic purposes in ancient-most times. He showed us photos of nearby excarvations of a Roman mosaic showing the 12 labours of Hercules, which is now in a museum in Madrid.

Hercules is the man who becomes an initiate when going through the 12 labours related to the 12 sun signs. You find a very good introduction to the spiritual dimension of these labours in the book on Hercules by Sri Kumar.

In the afternoon our friends took us for a short visit to the centre of Valencia. We drove along the old river-bed which now is a park interspersed with buildings such as the famous buildings of Calatrava. We went for a short visit into the cathedral, but didn’t sense anything special there; then we went to a nearby church of the Virgin, where we nearly went out backwards – there was such a huge amount of astral garbage around in the atmosphere that all of us felt like suffocating. We sat in front of the church and did some invocations to cleanse the “air” and later went in again. My wife dowsed there and the “air” might have been a little bit lighter.

The cathedral of Valencia and the church of the Virgin at the left

At the house of the cardinal there was a statue which reminded me of ages past… and the feelings of inner “vomiting” which the pressure of these experienced had provoked in me in this life.

A beautiful statue of St. Michael in front of the house of the city council – everywhere you see signs of spiritual realities, but you have to contact inwardly to perceive their subtle presence. otherwise these are just historical statues.

A fountain in front of the church representing the river god – for me it was Jupiter with some Aquarian water bearing devas spreading the fresh waters of life.

In the evening we again had some inner work and exchanges with our friends. A very rich time.

On Monday our journey to the south continued. At noon we had a stop for a few ours in Reus at the apartment of a group member. It was a short, but very intense exchange.

A dancing Ganesha with his vehicle, the rat, at Reus

Later we continued our tour to Onda, a little town near Castellon. Since our navigation device didn’t find the street, Manolo waited at the entrance road and we followed him to their home, where he and Tere – and their dog – were giving us a warm welcome. I knew that 16 years ago Sri Kumar had installed a Krishna statue in their garden, which now greeted us at the entrance. The evening was filled with talks and a late dinner.

The magic of the early morning meditation

Venus sparkling in the early morning dawn

Next morning Manolo and Tere took us to a fountain in a nearby mountain area. The boot of the car was filled with cans which they wanted to fill at a fountain. We came to a small village, turned into a side-road and stopped in front of the source surrounded by a wall. Fresh water sprang forth out of five pipes and we started filling the cans. The water had a beautiful taste. On the rock above the source there was a ceramic picture of Mary as the protector of this source. When we were ready other people were already waiting to fill their cans. Afterwards we wanted to go for a walk, but the weather was too hot. So we sat at a resting place in the shade of some trees and listened to some stories of their lives and the music of the cicadas.

We had a beautiful evening meditation sitting in the shade at the Krishna statue. Later we saw a video of the installation of this statue and the first group livings there.

It was fascinating to see different members we knew how they looked like 16 years ago. At Onda they had prepared facilities with beds and kitchen for 20 – 30 persons and there had been quite a lot of group activities. However, in the last years the meetings had stopped and the physical connections had become rare. It seemed as if the distances had become longer. They are continuing with their inner and outer work and contribute to the group work. They are a group of souls living at different places but over all the years they stayed linked on their path.

I pondered on the many ways people work out their inner development and integrate it into daily life. Especially in the evening when we sat together for dinner with the 3 sons who all walk their own ways but at the same time are somehow impregnated by the energy.

Krishna on ceramics and the Aquarian water-pot in the garden – the flow of the waters of life

Yesterday around noon time we went with Dona and Aurora to see the locality of Buena Voluntad en Acción (Good Will in Action), an NGO inspired by the impulse of the World Teacher Trust. It was founded in 1997 and is dedicated to service of the needy (You can read more about its work on their website (Spanish) or (English) in the Annual Report 2011 of WTT-Global). They are doing a fantastic work which reaches over 1000 persons in need. Since 4 years Aurora is the president of the organisation.

Standing in front of the closed location in Calle Roser 99, we could not open the door because the lock had been changed a short while ago and the new key didn’t work – another person had to come with still another key. In the meanwhile Aurora told us the story of how the organisation came into being – inspired by a conference on service of Sri Kumar in Argentina – and how there had been a lot of work and intense crises of group cooperation until a smooth functioning had been set up. We peeped through the windows and saw a bit of the entrance.

The sign of Buena Voluntad in Acción

Aurora showed us the rooms and explained the many activities going on there: Case intake and clarifications done by a professional social worker employed by the NGO, food distribution, job-integration programs, emergency counseling, children programs – there are about 40 volunteers and 3 professionals working with a tremendous commitment, and formation and integration of volunteers is quite a task. They now receive quite a lot of support from official institutions, because their work is more effective than the one of the institutions and it is being recognised by the Mayor of the city; they even received a number of awards, lately over 55’000 Euro, which they use entirely for the help of the needy. They organize concerts with famous artists and again all the intake is given to the work. Nevertheless, Aurora told us that the work is more for them, the volunteers, than for those who receive help, they receive so much, and she strongly feels the presence of the energy of the spiritual helpers behind the scene.

Aurora explaining the work done at Buena Voluntad En Acción

We were deeply impressed by the efficiency and efficacy all this work is being organised by a group of deeply devoted people, the major part of them not being members of the WTT. Lately a high school inquired about their work and now the students are planning a number of  activities to support the work. They were so much enthused when they saw what was going on there. In the first years the help had mainly been addressed to immigrants, but with the economic crisis in Spain more and more Spanish people come to receive help, with changed needs which have to be coped.

We afterwards drove to the house of two friends, a couple living in the countryside, where some other old group members had assembled. The husband is a gardener and both are linked to the WTT since many years. We had lunch together and talked a bit. The lady then showed us their garden and the house, which is one of the oldest in the surroundings and dates from the times when the Moors were living there.

An old olive tree in front of the window

When my wife and I had a nap in the bed room of the couple we felt the presence of some deceased souls and my wife went to call the lady. She explained that she also sometimes feels it and that there are regularly coming some noises from out of an old wardrobe. My wife and I conducted a little ritual to address the souls, and it was a bit difficult, because part of them seemed to be there since long times and dozing in a sleep-like state. And there were other astral elements around. After the ritual it seemed that the ambiance felt lighter.

We then joined the others for a short evening meditation in the yard before we drove back to Matadepera for some other talks – about beliefs and how to overcome them – till late in the night.

An improvised altar in the yard

Saturday around noon time some group members with their children came for lunch, and a big paella was prepared in the garden.

In the later afternoon we went with a smaller group to Montserrat – a mountain with a spectacular formation and very holy energetic centre with an old Benedictine monastery and a cathedral. Our friends told us that they had been there several times with Sri Kumar who had explained that there is an etheric ashram on the top of the mountains. And when we approached we sensed the sublime presence around.

But when we approached the cathedral I felt a bit weird – the statues and the catholic ambiance reminded me too much of my very mixed experiences. of the past. But Dona then told me, “Forget about the past, open yourself to the subtle realms. You can only approach an etheric ashram when you are ready to leave back the material and go into the subtle realms, and there is no longer this heaviness of the past.” So I left my “clouds” behind when we entered the inner churchyard and saw the towering front of the cathedral surmounted by the steep rocks of the mountains. One rock formation looked like a giant “muscle man”.

In the centre of the churchyard there is a big mosaic, and from the centre fiery tongues are coming out of 4 pots, like flames of a fire ritual.

Inside the cathedral there was some worship service going on; a group of mainly old Benedictine monks were singing, accompanied by organ music. We sat down and meditated for a while. I felt like the doors of heaven opening andbeing uplifted to magnificent heights. I sat there for a while enjoying the profound experience. Through the beauty of the experience I could reconcile with the past and look through the crystallized outer forms of the church structures to see the inner light and the many souls striving in these church forms to find their link to the divine. So I went with Dona lighting a candle near the picture of the World Mother in the form of Mother Mary carrying the infant Jesus.

Our little group sat together for a while in the churchyard and then decided to also see the statue of the Mother in the back of the church and the room of silence. And it was a good decision – I enjoyed the many statues of angels; the artists must have been immersed in the experience of their presence.

An alabaster angel

A group of angels playing music

Little angels guarding a lamp

Huge angels towering over the vaults

Angels and the “Holy Spirit” in form of a dove hovering over the statue of the Black Madonna

The Black Madonna

The Arch-Angel Michael fighting with the dragon – the souls fallen / descended into matter

A fire angel outside the cathedral

When we descended to our car we saw some eagles flying over the rocks and Dona said, “The appearance of the eagles indicates that the work to be done has been achieved.” And we saw huge pillar-like rocks with faces like giant trolls of guardians and in the background a little monastery reminding me of pictures of monasteries in the Himalayas.

Two eagles hovering over the rocks

The trolls and the mountain monastery

And when we drove back there were huge black clouds building up over the mountains and we thought that there would be a thunderstorm bringing rain. But all kept dry.

Thursday evening Dona showed us pictures from her tour to Rishikesh and the Kumbha Mela 2010, a great meeting of saints and sages which takes place every 12 years in Hardwar, India. It was very impressive to see these holy men who often live very secluded in the Himalayas. And next morning I was taken on a photo-tour to Mount Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet where she had been the year before on a pilgrimage tour – very touching impressions.

A naked saint covered with ashes at the Kumbha Mela

Friday the sun didn’t come out so easily from his bed behind the clouds, but when we were taking an early morning bath he finally radiated its whitish light over the waters.

Though there was no wind the seas was agitated and the waves were rolling against the rocks. A statue of Jonathan Livingston Seagull was reminding of the “real seagull within each one of us”. our soul.

In the afternoon we departed together with Dona to our next stage, Barcelona, where we wanted to meet Valentin at the Plaça Catalunya in the centre of the city. At a red traffic light three bike riders appeared behind our car. One was tapping on the roof of the car and gesticulating, pointing to the right back tyre. Dona looked out and there was something wrong. A fourth bike rider, who seemed not to belong to the other 3 told her that there is a tyre repair shop nearby and indicated to take the next street on the right side. The lights turned green. He then disappeared quickly, but stopped again and pointed to the street at the right. I drove on, the other three quickly disappeared. The car started wobbling a bit and I felt that the air was going out of the tyre. When I turned into the next bigger street I had to stop, for we were driving on the rims. At that moment we discovered that we had stopped directly in front of a small tyre shop on the other side of the street which otherwise we would not have seen. I drove in. All the air was out of the tyre.

The mechanic in the shop told us that the tyre had been pierced several times with a knife and that some criminals are attacking tourists like this. They create a situation of confusion and use it to steel things from out of the car. They have to deal with 3-4 such cases per week. We had to buy a new tyre, and while it was replaced we took a cup of tea in a nearby cafe.

Our car with the new back tyre

There were 3 holes in the old tyre. We were absolutely amazed about the inner guidance leading us to this place, how well we were protected and how fast things were arranging themselves again. Just before the “accident” we had been talking about trust and guidance and now we experienced an incredible series of “co-incidences”. I jokingly said, I must have been a street robber in a past life and now experience the bad karma of these times, but is a very soft way.

We then met Valentin and went into a nice restaurant in the Music Hall.

The entrance of the music hall

Valentin is a very loving person who is linked to the WTT-Spain since the beginnings. He now is the responsible of Ediciones Dhanishta and we had a very lively discussion about how they arrange the work – all done by volunteers – of the many publications they are realising. The work has grown a lot and includes now a team of about 40 members. I wanted to know more how they manage to integrate all these persons in the work, and Valentin showed me their way of working. Dona helped as a translator.

Later we drove to another part of the city to see the centre of the WTT-group of Vasantha. Pilar and Cristina were giving us a warm welcome. They showed us the rooms – therapy rooms, but one reserved to group work. We had a short meditation together and Pilar explained us a bit about the work they are doing there. They are conducting group meditations and study groups and are doing a profound, silent work there.

Buddha greeting the visitors at the entrance

We afternoon went to a nearby restaurant to have some pizzas – and afterwards we sat under plane-trees drinking horchata or eating ice-cream. It was already late when we left for Madatepera, about 30 km away. Aurora and her husband Josep had invited us to stay in their house and they just arrived half a minute before us – having doubled us on the way. Again a magic co-incidence of timing. A warm welcome, carrying the luggage to our room and then we dropped into sleep.

We originally wanted to spend just one night in Tossa but things worked out in a different way: After the swim of the evening before my wife got a severe rheumatic attack and could not move. So we decided to stay some more days, probably until Friday. In the morning my wife got an ayurvedic massage and in the afternoon it was my turn. I felt deeply relaxed and vitalised while quick hands were moving over the body and stimulating energy points to release crystallized patterns.

While outside the temperatures were rising to about 39 degrees we felt like in a sauna, but we had a very good time together.

The sun rise this morning, Thursday, Jupiter-Day, the sun seemed to take to the form of Jupiter while his golden rays were piercing through the clouds like the rings of Jupiter.

We decided to go to the beach to have a swim. The streets were still empty and there were only few people at the beach. Dona proposed to first visit the statue of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom overlooking the bay. in June they had done a meditation at her feet, together with Sri Kumar who had come to visit Dona’s house.

The water was still fresh and a curious seagull was inspecting us when we went into the sea.

After the bath Dona invited me for a croissant to a nearby old café. We had hardly started eating when Anna Maria dropped in, a friend I knew from India, a doctor from Barcelona. She wanted to buy some croissants for her mother who lives in Tossa, and so we sat together for a chat.

After Anna Maria had left we still sat there for a while talking about “strange encounters” with the subtle world when you are open and not expecting anything.

The next stage of our journey brought us to Tossa de Mar, a small town at the Mediterranean coast. It wasn’t easy to find the house with the of our friend Dona, which was built on the slope of a mountain. Small crooked alleyways full of parked cars were mounting like serpents – and we had to go backward a distance out of a dead end to finally find the location. Dona gave us a small welcome and showed us the apartment. A gorgeous view opened – the bay with the little harbour and an old church and castle opened before us.

For over 2 years Dona was now living at this place in former holiday house of her family, having left behind her old life. She had been a lawyer and had gone through a profound zero point, starting then a “new incarnation”. She now is an Ayurvedic massage specialist, a homoeopath and a healer.

Bottles of massage oils

I know her now for a decade; mostly we met at the seminars of the WTT in India. Sitting at the lunch table on the terrace  we had a long and fascinating talk together. Last year she had done a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and in 2010 another to the Kumbha Mela, a big gathering of pilgrims and saints in Hardwar, and she told us about her experiences.

Kailash and a seagull in the living room

Buddha blessing us from the book shelf

Dona said to us that her Indian homoeopathic teacher, Dr. Rao from Visakhapatnam, with whom she is in regular contact, just told her that today they celebrate Ganesha’s birthday. So we enjoyed seeing a Ganesha ceramic in the form of a swastika on the balcony.

The temperature was suffocating, about 38 degrees – normally it should be colder in August, but a warm wind is bringing these temperature from the Sahara desert. We all the more enjoyed a fresh bath in the Mediterranean after the evening meditation. And at the dinner tables our fascinating talks continued.

The night was short, and after the morning meditation we got the present of a magnificent sunrise where the colours were continuously changing.Dona later showed me pictures of sunrises she did on the days of spiritual festivals – an incredible display of Mother Nature’s beautiful veils. Due to some changes in the plans of our journey which we came to know we will stay a bit longer here in this serene atmosphere.

Sunrise this morning over the harbour of Tossa