Home | Courses | Green Yoga | Articles | Reviews | Manual | Yoga Glossary | Store | Contact/Enroll
LaViolette, Paul. A. Earth Under Fire: Humanity’s Survival of the Ice Age. Rochester, Vt.: Bear & Co., 2d ed. 2005. Paperback, 436 pp., US $20.00.
In recent years, catastrophism has become somewhat more respectable in scientific circles, but marginalization of scientists avowing this theory is still happening. Paul LaViolette, who holds degrees in physics and systems science, has his own story to tell about bias in supposedly objective science.
Admittedly, he started out with a distinct handicap by basing his astronomical investigations on a decryption of the zodiac, as transmitted through traditional lore. According to him, the ancients bequeathed to us knowledge of an astronomical disaster that occurred toward the end of the last ice age: a massive explosion at the core of our galaxy, which caused a superwave of subatomic particles and rays that upon entering our solar system pushed huge amounts of debris toward the Sun leading to a significant decrease of sunlight.
He is of course not alone in postulating such a catastrophy some 15,000 years ago, but his explanation of the event is quite unique. Using mythology, star lore, astronomy, astrophysics, geology, archaeology, La Violette has succeeded in painting a colorful and fascinating picture of what he believes happened just before the emergence of the early civilizations. Clearly, something extraordinary happened and, if LaViolette is correct, it could happen again. It makes sense to generously support further research.
This work is best read in conjunction with Richard Firestone et al.’s The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes, also published by Bear & Co.
Copyright ©2006 by Georg Feuerstein. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any form requires prior permission from Traditional Yoga Studies.