For 50 days now, Siem Reap has been my home. It sits in the heart of the mighty but fallen Khmer Empire. My previous travels through Asia taught me that a rich history often breeds nationalism, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Cambodians are humble, sometimes to their own disadvantage. Most of them don’t even know that the heavily protected temples just a 20-minute ride from Siem Reap were once part of the largest pre-industrial city in the world. In any other country, this would be a source of national pride, a fact taught at every level of school. But not here.
It makes me wonder: is national pride a commodity? We all know Cambodia is poor, and that it lost its intellectual elite during the genocide that happened 50 years ago. The Khmer people don’t have time for pride; they are forced to live in the present and work toward a better future. I find something beautiful in such a simple mindset.
Or maybe national pride is a symptom of a civilization that has outgrown itself and now uses the past as an illusion to hold the community together? If that’s true, then Cambodia has a bright future, a young civilization that found a chance for renewal after a tragedy. And standing here on the stones the Khmer people carved and set a thousand years ago, I share that feeling. I see a good future for this country. Sometimes the past is a weight we need to let go of to find something better, and Cambodia has done that masterfully.
What I Am Up To
Since my last blog post, I visited a couple of temples and returned to jiujitsu after my injury. If it weren’t for the heat and constant humidity, I’d say everything is perfect.
I visited these temples: Preah Ko, Bakong, Lolei, Pre Rup, Banteay Kdei, and Phnom Bakheng. You can find a couple of photos below (in order: Bakong, Banteay Kdei, Preah Ko). Just so you know I’m not just sitting at home.
In the photo above, I’m whispering into the ear of Nandi, the bull that guards the abode of Shiva, one of the supreme gods in Hinduism. Shiva is too high above to hear our pleas and prayers directly, so they have to be delivered to him by his most trusted servant, Nandi. I asked for a few things. Hopefully the bull passed my message along.
But let's be honest, no old stone tells a better story than the lives of people. I don't speak Khmer, so I can't talk with the locals. However, I can observe. I took a motorcycle to a nearby floating village with a couple of friends. And you are probably wondering what a floating village is. Does it look like a town from Waterworld (1995), a bunch of boats tied together? No, it's a bit less fantastical than that, unfortunately.
The old Khmer civilization was built around the largest lake in Southeast Asia, Tonle Sap, which literally means "Fresh Water." People around here eat a lot of fish, which means they need many fishing villages. However, Tonle Sap and the surrounding rivers flood a lot. People figured this out and started building houses on huge wooden legs. Scroll a bit to see how this looks.
Some people live in boats as well, literally forming a floating village, but the houses raised high on wooden stilts are much more common. And I have to say, this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. People here look incredibly happy too. It might be because of all the protein they eat, which is supposed to be good for you.
Since the last update, I also started playing some board games, especially Avalon. If you aren’t familiar with it, the players (usually ten) are divided into two groups: good guys and bad guys. The good guys have to figure out who the bad guys are and complete quests successfully, while the bad guys try to stay hidden and pretend they are good so they can secretly sabotage the missions from the inside. Essentially, it’s a game of deep psychology and character observation. Perfect for any astrology lover.
What I Am Working On
Right now, I’m working on an eBook called Introduction to Astrology. We’re putting together a concise guide covering all the most important elements of astrology, so you can start using it to improve your life as soon as possible. Stay tuned for that.
I’m also working on a couple of astrological research projects. At Cosmos Within, we don’t just want to repeat what other astrology experts say or rely only on ancient wisdom in the modern age. We want to bring you cutting-edge insights that nobody has discovered before. Some of the research I’m currently working on includes Astrology of Famous People, Women’s Suffrage Throughout History, and LGBT Struggles Throughout History.
On Tuesday, July 22 9 pm CT, I’m going live on TikTok. If you want to find out what the upcoming New Moon in Leo brings for you, and what rituals are best, make sure to tune in.
And as always, you can expect a couple of videos each week about current astrological transits and anything relevant in our cultural climate.
See you next time.
