Customer Reviews

Lost Star of Myth and Time

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Walter Cruttendon has done a vast amount of research on the subjects of ancient and modern astronomy, scientific findings of extinct cultures, and the many surviving myths and legends of the past. From these studies the author developed unique insights. His perspective of the earth, time, and its place in space ... is a very fascinating reading experience. His hypothesis is based on connections he has made from ancient and modern astronomical and scientific discoveries. He noted one main distinguishing difference between ancient and modern man is the concept of time. Modern man is obsessed with a linear focus - seeming to view events and discoveries on the basis of evolution, going from the simpler to more complex level. Ancient cultures however, viewed time as cyclical, even the Old Testament speaks of a time and season for every purpose and event. The ancient Babylonians, the Egyptians who built the pyramids, the shamans of the Hopi Indians of North America, the Mayan Indians of Central America, and the oldest civilization in the world which existed in India - all had an obsession with time. They demonstrated this knowledge by tracking the stars in the heavens and leaving monuments which are often records of their discoveries. Noting the abundant scientific evidence for the cyclical nature of many biological, physiological, and chemical life processes ... the author noted that ancient people had recognized patterns and cycles of the stars and its causes. The author describes how modern scientists view the concept called "celestial motion of precession" and its causes. The author provides detailed explanations why his view supports what the ancient Arabic, Sumerian, Mithraic, and Vedic traditions hinted at ... that our sun is influenced by another star. This other star (or sun) could affect many aspects of life on earth through its orbital cycle, gravitational pull and magnetic energies. This other star could be the cause of the cyclical nature of many natural events from the ancient past, the modern present, and future life on earth.

The author obviously loves his subject and does a phenomenal job of sharing his knowledge and deep insights. He has a wonderful grasp of the science of astronomy. He lucidly explains and describes difficult concepts and ideas on this subject. Each suspense filled chapter is an adventurous read which unfolds fascinating ancient scientific knowledge of astronomical observations comparing it to the modern scientific view. The author includes a very helpful glossary for complicated terms and unfamiliar concepts. He provides a wonderful bibliography referenced by footnotes in each chapter where supporting data and the ideas can be verified by any curious reader. There is a terrific appendix with eight sections which is an added bonus that includes otherwise difficult to obtain information. The author created the four tiered Galileo Awards each with a substantial monetary award attached, in order to challenge the scientific community to provide the scientific evidence required to prove once and for all ... the existence of the binary twin associated with our sun. I give 10 stars to this book as recommendation for anyone interested in ancient cultures, myths, and astronomy.
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

This intriguing book builds a case for a cyclical theory of history, where the great year of the precession of the equinox is considered the key to understanding the cosmos. The author frequently refers to, and builds upon, the work of Santillana & von Dechend, Graham Hancock, Robert Bauval, Richard Thompson, Zecharia Sitchin, Charles Hapgood and many other modern and ancient writers.

Lost Star provides evidence for an alternative theory of history based on ancient science that claims that our solar system revolves around a companion star in a 24 000 year cycle. As it does, the earth moves through the electromagnetic field of another star that causes subtle changes in consciousness over large periods of time. This vast celestial motion affects all life. At some stages, the influence is positive and leads to golden ages while at others it is negative, leading to civilizational collapse.

The chapter Cycle Of The Ages defines the precession phenomenon and investigates its definitions in Greek, Egyptian, Biblical and Indian lore. The next chapter provides the background on the standard explanation, the perspectives of the ancients, the meaning of the Zodiac and hints of a companion star in ancient sources, whilst the following one investigates lunisolar theory versus the binary hypothesis.

Chapter 5 is devoted to speculation on what the sun's companion star might be, considering various objects like black holes, brown dwarfs and dead stars. It also considers the possibility that Sirius, Indra and Nibiru might be one and the same, while introducing the effect of distant influences like those emanating from the Pleiades. The next chapter more comprehensively explores cosmic influences on consciousness with reference to cutting edge research in the field.

In the chapter Wisdom of the Stones, the author discusses pyramids, dolmens, standing stones, stone circles, megalithic structures and ley lines as possible energy receivers and transmitters devised by the ancients. The last 2 chapters look at further evidence and the implications of a cyclical interpretation of history.

The main text is interspersed with supplementary text blocks highlighting specific subjects with photographs and illustrations. This thought provoking book concludes with an appendix, footnotes arranged by chapter and a thorough index. Lost Star is a great synthesis of the work of the authors mentioned in the introductory paragraph plus it contains much that is new and original. I highly recommend it to those interested in mankind's unknown past, alternative history and the study of consciousness.

This book is about new ways of looking at ancient ideas. It gripped my attention from the introduction to the last page.

The author takes you through the current view of history, makes you wonder about what we have been taught, and then gradually explains precession and some key myths. This sets the stage for a new theory that makes sense of both precession mythology and history better than any textbook I've ever read. The main idea is based on astronomy and new energy sciences, esoteric subjects to be sure, but it has so many good anecdotal stories it is fun - and they make it easy to understand.

The book builds on each chapter so you just can't jump in anywhere. It also has a separate appendix at the end (just different news reports to support the thesis), which I would skip. But the main body flowed very nicely and I actually read it straight through cause I wanted to see where it ended. In this age of maximum negativity on cable news, you will like this ending.

May the force be with you!

This well presented thesis bodes nothing short of a "2nd Copernican Revolution" in altering humanity's view of itself and the macrocosm. As Copernicus shook the medieval mindset with his pronouncement that the earth revolves around the sun, we are now to consider that our local sun and its solar system revolves around its binary companion! Most importantly, as the author asserts, this celestial motion is considered responsible for the cycles or "cosmic seasons" that drives the waxing and waning of human civilization.

The reader is introduced to Copernicus' 3rd motion of the earth - "Precession of the Equinoxes" in a most profound and fascinating manner. "Precession" is not a new knowledge, just as the heliocentric model was ancient in origin, what is new is the author's binary star theory to account for this phenomenon in the light of modern astronomy. The reader's mind is expanded beyond its pedestrian world to re-discover the grand cycles of the cosmos that was known to the ancient cultures.

"Lost Star" holds ones interest like a detective story as each new piece of evidence whets the reader's appetite for the next shard. The author engages the reader in solving no less than a cosmic mystery story. The prize is nothing less the reconciliation of an ancient sacred science with today's understanding of a materialistic-based science.

The author cites a variety of excellent sources, a notable one, "Hamlet's Mill" which was a seminal work by Giorgio de Santillana, professor of the history and philosophy of science at M.I.T. and Hertha von Dechend, professor of the history of science at the University of Frankfurt, which explored the encoding of precise astronomical knowledge into the worldwide myths and folklore. Typically, although this was written in the 1970's, mainstream academia has given little attention to this fact, as few people want to upset the status quo.

Mr. Cruttenden's breadth of intellectual curiosity culls from the ancient traditions of India to the most cutting edge think tanks of astrophysics. His cross-disciplinary approach adds considerable fortitude to his thesis as he explores the phenomenon of "Precession" in the light of ancient mythology, archeology, and astrophysics.

The enigmas of archeology with its many "out-of-place" artifacts fall squarely into place should we tentatively accept the thesis of this book - the rise & fall of civilizations is a product of a grand cosmic cycle that was intimately known in the far distant past.
How could the ancients have known so much without the aid of our current technology? As the author suggests, perhaps there have been cultures so advanced as to use the rarified technologies of the mind and spirit in a time more conducive to the full development of those subtle qualities. Which brings to my mind, was this what Plato was referring to when discussing the possibility of attaining absolute knowledge via a "Science of First Causes?" Contrast this a-priori (before-fact) or "consciousness-based" science with our current "trial and error," a-posteriori (after-the-fact) science and I am reminded of Arthur C. Clarke's quote, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Prior to the rise of our western view of linear history the ancients' perspective of human history was a cyclical one. Plato expounds this view in his famous dialogues in an attempt to recapture a long lost Golden Age. The are many anomalies in the currently held view of linear history. These "exceptions" to the established paradigm continue to mount almost daily with new archeological discoveries worldwide, which the author aptly notes. My own personal experience is that a cursory study of western art history reveals the flawed assumptions of a linear historical model. Art students are immediately introduced to the mature art of the first dynastic periods of ancient Egypt only to see it's gradual decay over the next 3 millennia, not to mention the fact the we cannot duplicate the engineering feats of the great pyramids that have blocks fitted to ultrasonic precision.

I urge anyone sincerely interested in the whence, whither and why of humanity's origins to read this book.

I read a lot of books about a lot of subjects. But, this one really got my attention. It has opened up a whole new area to research. The yugas, the kali yuga, astronomical related ideas such as the Galactic Center, Galactic Equator, Precession of the Equinoxes, and more.

There are many alive today who are still stuck, psychically, in the age of Kali Yuga. But, if your spirit has been born in this age with an insatiable burden to 'know' the truth [if so, you know exactly what I mean], than you simply must beg, borrow, or buy this book. You will never view this eon of life the same after reading it. But, that is definitely a good [god?] thing.

I was little bit sceptic when i order this book from Amazon. Lost STAR ? huh, this is ridiculous. So i start reading and page after page it take my attention. I pass whole "Accepting truth" process during first chapters. Author did extraordinary work, collecting those facts/ideas/myths. It is easy to read, easy to understand, so don't be affraid about the flood of facts. Author really know his customers (readers). So everything is served well.
I love part about the "Yugas"( world ages ), but maybe some of the parts are little bit short, i was missing some of the major ideas/facts about the ages. I understand it was not the main line of the book, but for some not well informed readers it might be little bit "vonDaniken" style.
But i really recommend this book to all 2012 scientists and researchers.

In Lost Star Of Myth And Time, Walter Cruttenden argues that a binary relationship of two heavenly bodies may well be the cause of the Dark Ages and the Golden Ages of mankind down through the millennia. An heretofore unknown star in its relationship to the sun has had a profound influence on human consciousness and on our planet. Cruttenden draws upon archaeoastronomy, ancients texts, myths, and folklore, presenting his findings and theories enhanced with vivid graphics and scientific commentary that will engage the reader's attention from beginning to end. A work of seminal originality, meticulous reasoning, and iconoclastic insights, Lost Star Of Myth and Time is thoughtful and thought-provoking, and most assuredly recommended reading for students of astronomy, metaphysics, and the historical upsurges and contractions of the human consciousness and human civilizations.

Certainly one of the best books that I've read in recent years. Extraordinarily thoughtful review of the evidence that indicates that energy provided by the sun and its twin star affects our intelligence. In turn, this cyclical variation in intelligence results in cycles of dark ages followed by golden ages. Words fail me as I try to describe this remarkable book. Most highly recommended.

I found this book to be filled with thought provoking and fascinating theories that weaved astronomy, archeology, physics and history together. The primary idea in this book is that the approximate 26,000 year cycle of the precession of the Earths axis, (which is suppose to be caused by the Moon and Suns pull), is really caused by an elliptical orbit which our sun and entire solar system travels along, while orbiting an unknown star or planetary body. Mr Cruttenden offers a nice serving of formulas & calculations to support his theory. This orbit after an adjustment for acceleration, is actually 24,000 years, and is mentioned repeatedly in ancient cultures, that were obsessed with the stars and constellations, and especially, the precession of the equinox through the zodiac.
Being an armchair and backyard astronomer with a semi-professional telescope, and having a great interest in the nature of the Cosmos, I have found this book offers a new way to look at the sky above us, in addition to all the information available from modern science. However, although space may seem above us, really the forces in space are all around us. In addition to his precession theory, Mr. Cruttenden discusses the effects of the magnetic fields of stars, upon the brain, and how this could affect behavior, both good and bad, all over the planet, and consequently entire civilizations. He backs this up magnetic field theory with research done at UCLA.
It may be that Walter Cruttenden has discovered a bridge between oriental and western astronomy, and opened a door to a new area of knowledge, that will show a more vital and intimate connection between humankind and the Cosmos we live in.
There is also a wonderful companion DVD available called "The Great Year", that I purchased, which graphically demonstrates the primary theory in this book and discusses ancient cultures and their understanding of the precession of the equinox. It is magnificently narrated by renowned actor James Earl Jones, the
voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars. Ironically if the information in this book is proven to be true, it may be that "The Force IS With Us Always", after all is said and done.
It just goes through 24,000 year cycles in our corner of the Milky Way Galaxy where we live.

Lost Star is an Intellectually Challenging and Thought Provoking book. Walter Cruttenden opens the Mind of the reader to a myriad of possibilities. This is a highly entertaining and thoroughly readable book. Ancient Knowledge , Present Science and Future Insight are woven together as a Cosmic Blueprint for Future Generations.
I found reading Lost Star a Rewarding Experience of Growth and Ascension. This book does not attack ones Spiritual Beliefs , on the contrary when you Challenge the Mind you Stimulate the Spirit and Engage the Soul. Life is an Education and this book is Enlightening and Inspirational. This book is a Tremendous Achievement , a work Wisdom and Exploration. Lost Star has made me Open to Greater Possibilities and Higher Blessings. This book is a pot of Golden Wisdom which will Expand your Vision and make your Spirit Rise. It is a piece of Literature not just for the Scientific Community but for people of Spirit , Historians and anybody who Celebrates Life and its Infinite Mysteries. Walter is a Magnificent Writer and this is a book of Immense Significance. I recommend it to one and all. Embrace the Past , Celebrate the Present and Rejoice in the Future. Thank you Walter for a Relevant and Powerful book that gives one a Sense of Heightened Consciousness and Enriches the Landscape of the Mind.