Duane: Yes -- well, let's see, over thirty-five years ago, in 1976, I moved onboard a 30 foot sailboat and anchored it offshore Key Largo Florida. Because of this simple lifestyle choice -- that had no monthly financial obligations, other than the basic cost of food, I had plenty of time to personally pursue the things in life which were interesting to me.
The first summer I lived aboard, I slept in a hammock between two mast under a makeshift tent because the sailboat was a salvaged job in progress. It needed repair and was basically a shell of a working Chesapeake Skipjack sailboat designed to haul oysters. I bought it for $300 and, over the years, built a wooden cabin and canopy over the main "hole" in the deck where I placed a stove, radio and storage area for books and things. Among these books were several reference books I used to help support the scientific views in my SPIRIT OF ATLANTIS research project. Much like a bibliography -- the following list of reference books are the primary source of perspectives that helped.
The Holy Bible
Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary
The Columbia-Viking Desk Encyclopedia
Mythology / Edith Hammilton
Mysteries Of The World / Christopher Pick
The Mystery of Atlantis / Charles Berlitz
America B.C. / Barry Fell
The last three reference books are the ones that provided specific data on the subject of Atlantis. Basically, these books told stories that, if arranged and imagined properly, revealed viewpoints I used as ideas and theories in my SPIRIT OF ATLANTIS research project.
While living onboard the boat in the mid-eighties, I used a small portable typewriter to type my first chapters onto index cards -- and later, with help from my parents who also moved to Key Largo in a nearby house, I used my Atari computer and a copy machine to help compile and self publish the book project in 1988.
Reporter 1: Interesting -- so, you began writing your research project over thirty-some years ago while living offshore on a sailboat in the Florida Keys. Could you elaborate on the specific subjects within these reference books that revealed the ideas to you regarding the subject of Atlantis?
Duane: Sure -- the first book that introduced the Atlantean subject to my imagination was "Mysteries of the World" by Christopher Pick, wherein the first chapter named "The Myth of Atlantis" gave a good overview of the story. This book also told stories about other important legends from around the world that I used as referenced material in my book project.
The second book "Mystery of Atlantis" by Charles Berlitz provided some detail information regarding Plato's Dialogues that really got me thinking about the location of the lost continent and seaport city in the western Atlantic -- specifically, somewhere in the Caribbean Basin.
At the time I was very curious about nautical charts of the Caribbean and I noticed a vast sunken region of remote reefs upon an underwater plateau area east of Central America known as the "Nicaraguan Rise" -- which, according to geological and hydrological data, was above sea level during prehistoric times.
Later, I found more information that pointed to the possible location of the lost Atlantean seaport underwater just offshore of Belize, somewhere on the second largest barrier reef in the world. This theory was superceded by an even later concept in which I now believe that the lost seaport may now be located just south of Belize within the country of Guatemala under tons of mud near or within a freshwater area known as "Lake Izabal".
Unlike today, when the Internet makes it easy to aquire important and new information related to most any subject -- including the legend of Atlantis, I had to make many long trips to local libraries and book stores to gather and reference the information for the book project.
Moreover, the book project actually began as a history story about the local Mayami natives of Southern Florida -- and only became a story about Atlantis when I came upon archeological concepts from the last book on the list written by Barry Fell in his book "America B.C.". This book revealed data about the lost prehistoric alphabet of Ogam -- which is found on both sides of the Atlantic.
Another reference book I used -- and not on the list, is "A Cracker History of Okeechobee" by Lawrence E. Will. This book revealed stories about how the local Mayami natives of Florida once built remarkable mounds that, when excavated, uncovered anatomical data which linked them to Mayan natives from the Yucatan.
Reading the fourth reference book on the list entitled "Mythology" by Edith Hammilton, gave me stories that explained the who's who of ancient times and what may have happened to certain prehistoric characters before the Biblical Flood event erased away our heritage and changed it to mythical concepts.
Now, I'm not saying every popular mythical story is based on true facts, but if one applies the science of modern technology -- with the proper amount of imagination, to some popular mythical legends, perhaps some stories may be based on true historical events.
And speaking of mythical legends and Biblical events, the first reference book on the list -- "The Holy Bible", should not be ignored as a major source of data when trying to understand the recorded truth of human history. However, great care needs to be applied in understanding many of the stories of the Holy Bible because -- well, misinterpreting the literal truth of several stories seems to cause belief problems among some historical scholars.
For example, the hard to believe dramatic story about the extraordinary event when Moses parted the Red Sea to escape Pharos' army and how he was able to hold back the waters until his crew safely made it to the other side in the Sinai Desert where they looked back and saw the army drown in the sea.
Well, if a little science is applied to this famous story, one could interpret a possible explanation as to how such an event may have actually happened. Because I use to live in the desert -- in Roswell New Mexico, I can testify that if one walks through certain areas of a flat desert at certain times, a mirage can appear which can give the illusion accross the horizon of a "wall of water" that seems to surround your viewpoint.
Therefore, unlike what Hollywood would have us believe, perhaps this important Biblical event is actually based on the believable viewpoint in which Moses was seeing the phenomenon of a desert mirage as a "wall of water" that followed him until the Pharos' army seemingly "drowned" into the mirage.
Another example of misinterpreting Biblical information is properly understanding the math data given for the true ages of some of the Patriarchs. When Biblical scholars recorded some years ago that the oldest patriarch in Moses' genealogical list, named Methuselah, lived to the ripe old age of 969 years -- were they revealing the truth? It seems unbelievable in the literal sense because nobody alive today has reached anywhere near that age.
So, is it truely possible that Methuselah -- and other patriarchs like Noah, lived extraordinary long lives because they were extremely lucky -- or were aware of a special diet that made them seemingly immortal-like? Maybe -- but perhaps, more likely, their ages were miscalculated and misinterpreted during translation errors from whatever ancient source into modern math -- such as, Methuselah's age was miscalculated and incorrectly recorded to solar time count units instead of lunar time count units. This new mathematical interpretation concept implies the idea that a time count of 969 months -- or about 80 solar years, was the true year age count of the oldest Biblical patriarch.
Reporter 2: Speaking of special diets and human longevity, your other research book project "Lost Fountain", suggest the idea that the average life-span of humans could be substantially extended if certain micro-nutritional elements -- such as gold, were properly assimilated in their diets. Do you think the recorded ages of the Biblical patriarchs -- and other notable persons that once lived in antediluvian times, might have actually lived hundreds of years after all?
Duane: Although my other research book project does suggest human longevity may be improved significantly if exposed to elements like gold and other micro-nutritional elements, the idea that a human life-span could ever live to almost a thousand years is even hard for me to believe. Again, I would rather believe that historians who published and printed the first copies of the Holy Bible during the Renaissance made mistakes in calculating the ages of the Biblical patriarchs than to imagine humans living so long.
I do believe that the spiritual energy within humans may be able to live thousands of years -- and part of that the spiritual energy can be passed on through generations by way of the DNA chemistry code from the parent to the offspring. The other part of the spiritual energy may be transfered by other means. But because it seems that the corporeal body has certain physical limits to the "wear and tear" of reality over time, no mortal human being can physically live forever.
Reporter 2: Wait -- you just said that part of the spiritual energy within humans may be "passed on" through generations by way of the DNA chemistry from the parent to the offspring -- and the other part of the spiritual energy may be transfered by other means. Could you better explain that statement please?
Duane: Okay, we all have seen examples of how some children look and act just like their parents -- that would be an example of how spiritual energy passes through generations. As to how or if spiritual energy in the form of mental memory could be "passed on" through generations -- well, that's a complicated subject to explore.
Is it possible to aquire or access the personal memories of our ancestors by way of some kind of genetic or energy reading method? I don't know, but perhaps the spiritual energy of a person exists as an enduring natural force that can be measured and shared -- much like the behavior of electricity itself, through the ages between generations of humans. In other words, memories are thoughts that may be measured as wireless energy signals -- which may be shared between humans.
Here I am, trying to scientifically explain what type of energy powers the spirit within us that we all know is there but really can't describe it. Again, much like the behavior of electricity itself, perhaps there is a positive and a negative attitude to this spiritual energy that can be measured as love and hate -- or good and bad. Simply choosing the right attitude will match the general force of the spirit within us.
As an artist by trade, I can spot positive artwork a mile away -- and I'm attracted to it. I can also spot negative artwork -- and, unless I believe I could help a sad situation, I try to ignore it. I really don't understand why people are attracted to negative artwork -- but that's the spirit in me.
So, let's review the ways how the personal memories of our ancestors may be experienced again through the ages. The first way -- which I have not mentioned yet, is perhaps the ancestor recorded a memory in writing or artwork that can be read or seen again.
The second way that the spiritual energy signals of a personal memory event may be readable, is if the event was recorded somehow within another dimension using a frequency which could be read or experienced by readers using their own brains. By the way, the human brain is a remarkable device to view or experience situations outside the body if tuned to the right set of frequencies.
Reporter 3: In recent interviews you have suggested the theoretical concept that "energy beings" may be able to travel throughout the universe at the speed of light using some kind of "Interstellar Internet System" of radio beacons -- and that these beings collectively represent an intelligent spiritual force of nature. You also suggest that these beings exist within a place where time -- as we humans know it, "stands still" because they are vibrating at the speed of light. And you have also theorized that these beings are able to visit and influence human beings by way of matching frequencies within their brains. No offense, but do you realize how crazy these theories seem to first time readers of your research work?
Duane: Well, it sounds like your question is implying that I'm crazy. Because I know I'm only as crazy as anybody, I'm not worried if others think I'm nuts -- no offense taken.
Actually, I'm glad you have summarized some theoretical perspectives that I've been working on for some time. The idea that a great intelligent spiritual force of natural energy exist in the universe and visits humans on occasion is a nice theory to believe in. Sounds like this spiritual force is God himself.
Although some would argue that no such intelligent spiritual force of nature exist and that there is only us and chaos in the universe, I believe these people are misunderstanding the "Big Picture" in life.
However one interprets this great intelligent spiritual force of nature that exist in the universe, it apparently has the ability to influence our lives in -- as they say, "in strange and mysterious ways".
When I decided to write my SPIRIT OF ATLANTIS book project long ago, I chose to write it like the Holy Bible is written -- such as every entry is numbered to a chapter. Even the last Volume is named "Anthropological Revelations" -- much like the last book of the Holy Bible is named "Revelations".
Now, let me say that I am no expert in knowing the full details of what is written inside the Holy Bible. I can not quote any particular verse from any chapter because I have never tried to memorize the book like others have. However, I have a general understanding of what the book is trying to convey -- and I am aware of how, when and where the book was first published.
I'm familiar with how the Old and New Testaments are laid out and that the good spirit of Jesus Christ was the inspiration behind the writings of the Apostles.
What attracted me to studying portions of the book were the many graphical stories such as Ezeikiel's fantastic ride in "God's Chariot" -- you know, the one with "wheels within wheels" that created a noisy whirlwind during landing. Important lessons in life like how the "Golden Rule" story should not be confused with the revenge story related to the "eye for an eye" tale.
Of course, there are many other aspects of the Holy Bible that I could ramble on about -- but a question exist as to why did I follow the numerical entry format used in the Holy Bible to tell my SPIRIT OF ATLANTIS book project?
Perhaps I was guided by some great intelligent spiritual force of nature that works in strange and mysterious ways.
END 36th INTERVIEW 1/15
ATLANTEAN COMMUNICATIONS Page
Return to the Homepage site