Nostradamus has been very popular with various propaganda machines over many years up to present day including the Nazis during the Second World War and the British Government of Winston Churchill. Some videos I have seen today on Utube are frankly offensive in the degree of manipulation. And these have been made recently in American accents. It looks like the purpose is to deal with terrorism.
So, what did the man had to say himself about his work? Apparently this in his letter to the King;" Indeed, someone, who would do well to blow his nose, may reply that the rhythm is as easy as the sense is difficult. That, O Most Humane king, is because most of the prophetic quatrains are so ticklish that there is no making way through them, nor is there any interpreting of them". Not surprisingly King did not give him much time. However, his wife spent hours with Nostradamus.
Who was Nostradamus?
He was born as Michel de Nostredame and baptised although he was Jewish because his parents wanted to protect him from anti-semitism of Catholic France. He was born 14-12-1503 and died 2.7.1566. His family was prosperous and both of his grandfathers were doctors. His early education Latin, Greek, Hebrew and medicine came from grandparents.
He had talent for mathematics and "prophesy" noted from an early age. Family wanted him to become a doctor and he did that but he was rather unhappy with dogma and ignorance of his professors. In Avignon he was educated by Catholic priests but spent free time in his study of occult and astrology. One of the astronomers who was also a doctor and a Catholic priest that Nostradamus liked was Copernicus and this alarmed his family greatly who feared persecution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Copernicus
After he married and despite his best efforts as a young doctor he lost his entire family to plague.
One day when he saw religious statue erected in his town he made a joke about casting demons to workmen. They accused him of heresy. He was due to stand trial for heresy but he escaped to Italy and lived in exile for a number of years.
When another plague hit France he returned and this time he was successful. He rejected traditional treatment for his patients which was bleeding . Instead he prescribed rose hip which is full of Vitamin C and boosts immunity. There were some good recommendations about hygiene and burning rubbish (this was attracting rats).
He enjoyed protection of Catherine Medici and predicted the death of her husband and her children and that she would survive them all. Clever man. Clearly very good at judging the character of the people. No wonder she thought he was deserving a salary from her.
In his book of predictions published in 1555 he describes the way he reached his determinations. Tripod and flame. One wonders if he was taking opium by inhalation and hallucinating a bit.
Nostradamus had very traumatic experience of watching his own nanny burn at stake as a witch. Did he have post-traumatic stress disorder ? Did he take opium because of that? It was reported that his instrument for seeing the future consisted of a bowl of water with oils and herbs. In sixteen century opium was inhaled from water vapours as in opium enriched sponges used during surgery. He might have read Homer who in Iliad wrote about Cup of Helen which induced forgetfulness of pain and sense of evil. Opium derives from Greek meaning juice.
Read this from BBC and ask yourself about independent reporting:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/highlights/010926_nostradamus.shtml
Nostradamus coffin was placed in a church but later on moved to a more prominent place. His coffin was opened and it had an amulet allegedly with 1700 on it. During revolution his coffin was opened again in search of loot and somebody used Nostradamus scull to drink wine out of it. He was killed. Nostradamus fans think he predicted even that:
Under the Oak (coffin) lightening strikes in Gienne.Not far from there (Salon) is hidden the treasure For after long centuries it is grabbed Found, shall die, eye pierced by a spring (of a trigger).
Having read his verses the only thing one can say is that it is completely incomprehensible (not ashamed I have to blow my nose from time to time). There is no chronological order of anything and it looks that when he wrote that he was intelligent enough to know that one can make money out of the superstitious.
I mean what can a doctor do when pressed by superstitious Royalty? His revenge on Catholics was superb. They bought his predictions many times over and continue to do so to present day.
Here we have spiritual activists from the Royal College of Psychiatrists:
http://www.reginaldkapp.org/New/932Soul_conference.htm
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