Posts

As I write during this most sacred of times, whether you celebrate the Spring Equinox and Ostara (Oestera-Eostre-Eastre), the festival of the cycle of the seasons, the death and return of the sun, the divinity of the radiant dawn, or Passover (Pesach) which commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt, or Easter (Pascha) a festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, for which scholars point out certain parallels in the Sumerian epic of Inanna, this passage of time is a season of rebirth, renewal, the freshness of spring rains, scent of blooming flowers and new beginnings.

The divination for this week: HEXAGRAM 41: CONTENTMENT WATER within, LAKE without: Mystery within, Wonder without

There are no changing lines, which means it is the Hexagram of the present moment, the time rests the same.

Lake outside symbolizes happiness, communion, while Water inside symbolizes ones’ own mysterious nature. The image is that of hidden water beneath a Lake, signifying an inexhaustible source of well being for all…it is a highly rewarding time of collaboration based on recognizing the value of both conscious and unconscious experiences. More relaxed than recent seasons, it is nonetheless a time of fulfilling work, restorative rest and inspiring play.

Understanding the message of the Oracle can often take time to decipher the deeper hidden meaning. Other times, parts of our reading jump out and speak clearly and directly to us. This week’s divination had me spend some time reflecting and meditating.

After speaking with friends and neighbours during this period, one thing has stood out for me in relation to this reading – the connection with families and friends has gotten more intimate, there has been a slowing down, people are listening to the rhythms of life again, watching nature, moving slower, being together even at a distance with Zoom calls for Passover and Easter which has brought many joy and comfort. Yes there is stress, families are having to re-address their work, their space, the kids, and their everyday living, re-booting or searching out new communication tools, finding out what truly is important in their lives. Plus being of service has amped up considerably with food deliveries from local farms, restaurants and stores – we are eating more sustainably supporting ourselves and our local businesses. Local groups are getting together around the country to sew facemasks for their friends and healthcare providers.

There are those suffering in ways other than Covid-19, but some of them have adjusted to finding comfort, continuing their discussions online or on the telephone with their support systems and therapists. Another technique for soothing the emotions is the healing energy of water especially now. Whether taking walks by an ocean, pond or lake, or listening to meditative sounds of trickling water, taking long ceremonial baths with salts and essential oils, or having an image on the wall or your desktop, all will assist in soothing any disjointed and disconnected nerve endings. Even having a beautiful bowl of water nearby will enhance the healing qualities of her essence in your field.

When Divine Light and Divine Shadow are harmoniously balanced, the lived life within the world of manifestation and the soul’s experience within the world of pre-manifestation are so closely linked…

Moments become hours, hours become days, days become months… time becomes a seamless series of enjoyable events and illuminating states. One’s actions express one’s intent perfectly…the unknown is meaningful and the unknowable a revelation. Truth speaks form every leaf and pebble. Sea and sky whisper the first story over and over. Chance events fall like lightening, provoking laughter like thunder…Days go by without a single thought rising unbidden. Clouds are the world’s dreams, seasons its moods. Where does the timeless begin and time end? …

Another theme that is appearing is that time seems to have disappeared in a strange way. Days do float by, and people are taking the space to rest and nourish, catching up and adjusting sleeping patterns that were destroyed during our over-stressed, ‘must get this done’ daily living. Many like myself have taken time to do some form of a spiritual retreat to nourish and give strength to the inner spirit.

There is also no doubt that our “resting in place” has opened an immense cleansing and re-awakening of nature. The Himalayas are being seen for the first time in years – a whole generation had not even realised that the mountains were actually there in the distance – can you imagine? Here the water is pure, the air is fresh from the winds and the rains, and spring has sprung with plants and flowers blooming everywhere. My only hope is that we find a way to sustain this new balance in our lives, realising the old ways were out of control, that the bombardment of ‘Business as Usual’ will no longer be productive nor life-sustaining.

When the world of manifestation and the world of pre-manifestation meet, a rainbow bridge…no guardians at the gate save the few gargoyles holding up the rearguard of the last Age. A place of strange images morphing into one another along a drifting boundary between waking and dreaming. A place of madness for the uninitiated, place of untroubled transition for the initiated, the well-worn path Home…This formula signifies  that you are attuned to the mystical marriage of the Creative Forces, the Source of symbols coming and going between the World Body and the World Soul.

Here is a snippet a post that I received with some of my Soul Sisters from the amazing Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes, who I have considered one of my mentors from my days of studying the Sacred Feminine:

“…all those who know the light of springtime banishes the dark in Oestera, all those who know now is the time for the strongest spiritual people to form the phalanxes and to walk relentlessly forward together against the dark… I call each in his and her own way to stand with...”

So if you’ve got a spiritual bone in your body it’s time to call on your ancestors, spirits, guides, angels and protectors so that we can launch into new waters of wisdom with clarity and strength together. Please begin, if you have not already, to find some form of contentment within this containment. Use this sacred time.

In the ‘Forest of Fire Pearls’ it relates to: HEXAGRAM 46: HONOURING CONTENTMENT        Success comes to those who seek the source of serenity. The situation is one in which one is content with contentment.

SEQUENCE OF SEASONS: Launching into new waters, the true self treasures the joyous mystery of every moment.

After things are freed from adversity, they withdraw into happiness: HONOURING CONTENTMENT is the dwelling place of wisdom

SOULS’ JOURNEY The traveler dwells beside the cavern’s spring: The voices of the ancestors echo day and night.

As Andrea Bocelli so graciously prefaced before his concert in the Duomo de Milano on Easter Sunday:

 “On the day in which we celebrate the trust in a life that triumphs…I believe in the strength of praying together. I believe in the Christian Easter, a universal symbol of rebirth that everyone, whether they are believers or not, truly needs right now. Thanks to music, streamed live, bringing together millions of clasped hands everywhere in the world we will hug this wounded Earth’s pulsing heart…the mystery and joy of rebirth.”

The preceding transcription was taken from ‘THE BEFORE HEAVEN I CHING – Reading the Text of Creation’ by W D Horden with further commentary from his ‘FOREST OF FIRE PEARLS ORACLE‘ – The Medicine Warrior I Ching

I am two-weeks in to an 8-week Meditation Retreat and I am finding that I have had to adjust my writing schedule and the timings of the readings & divinations. Everything is flowing in a whole new paradigm and just not according to the old time frame though the messages and meanings are still key to the energy of the time.

THE TAROT CARD FOR THIS WEEK is Key 8 ~ JUSTICE in this deck, but is reversed with Key 11 ~ STRENGTH in other decks ~ ARCHANGEL RAGUEL is often referred to as the ‘Archangel of Justice and Fairness’ and sometimes known as the ‘Archangel of Speech.’ The astrological counterpart is LEO, the lion standing for leadership, self-dominion and implicit trust in one’s own abilities. The Justice Tarot card here has to do with moral sensitivity and that which gives rise to empathy, compassion, and a sense of fairness. This image represents a stand for the humane and fair-minded treatment of other beings. One doesn’t need to exert control over others; one’s strength comes from a base of wisdom and knowledge. This divination, also reminds us to be careful, to be attentive to important details, not to overlook or minimize anything. The law of karma is represented here — what goes around comes around. It certainly won’t happen when you expect it to and believe me these companies involved in profiteering from the pandemic IN NYC and probably elsewhere will eventually receive their comeuppance. They are not operating in the spirit of the season nor from the heart of compassion. Here’s the link:

https://www.propublica.org/article/in-desperation-new-york-state-pays-up-to-15-times-the-normal-price-for-medical-equipment

JUSTICE is telling us that we have the innate ability to deal with whatever life brings to our door and that we can draw from deep within the fountain of chi, our enormous energy reserve, to break through and overcome obstacles. It is the moment to seize control of one’s own destiny and move forward with plans. As we cultivate this inner fortitude, this balance, we attract the contacts and opportunities we need.

In regards to health, things take a dramatic turn for the better, perhaps because we’ve all taken notice and individually are more aware, being cognizant of others, keeping distance, wearing masks and we certainly are really getting creative and having fun with the designs. Finding joy and laughter is so important for our general and mental health. It is also important to capitalise on this time by creating healthy dietary and lifestyle habits – exercise regimens, meditation, relaxation, journaling, are just a few ideas where we can implement and get to socialize during this time out. Healthy also means opening our hearts with compassion and doing something that benefits others like what the fantastic NYC designer, Christian Siriano, did by closing his atelier and going into mass production for the NY State Health workers.

JUSTICE is known for fair and just decisions. Doing what you know is right. Standing up for your beliefs.

RAGUEL is a champion to underdogs, and he can help those who feel slighted or mistreated to become more empowered and respected. He is like a battery so he will energize you when you need a boost. Just think of the Energizer Bunny 🙂

The angels, guides, mentors are nudging us to make wise and carefully considered decisions, with fairness toward everyone involved (ourselves included). When one cannot be objective, seek out someone who can be an arbitrator, a mentor.  The card indicates that a decision will be made in our favour. As we follow the protocol let’s visualise that the curve is flattening and that our joint efforts are fruitful.

DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. Taking responsibility for our actions. Resisting injustice. Standing up for our beliefs. Issuing or accepting an apology.

RAGUEL is known as the Archangel who creates harmony within relationships, and who can help us make decisions that involve other people. You can call upon him to make peace between you and others as his purpose is to support growth and transformation for everyone involved.

Here is a lovely prayer to welcome RAGUELS’ energy into your life and relationships:

Beloved Archangel Raguel,

I call upon your radiance now.
I ask that you adjust my inner light and vibration so that they’re completely focused on aligning with the highest and healthiest relationships for my life.
I now willingly release any attachments to unhealthy thoughts and behaviors.
I open my heart to new positive experiences.
Please guide my choices.
Please help me to see my life with clarity.
Please comfort me as I acknowledge my fears.
Please support me in knowing that I deserve the best that life and love have to offer me.
I am ready to feel safe and secure in my world.

And so it is … Amen.

We are in the midst of Sacred Judeo-Christian holidays; Passover which began April 8th and ends on the 16th, and now we come upon Good Friday and Easter weekend. These are times when families and loved ones traditionally come together to worship and break bread and now are having to be creative virtually. This is one of my favourite holidays because after fasting and releasing the old cluttered spirit and mind, the murky chi as they say in Chinese medicine, one celebrates the resurrection, which I believe represents our own personal rebirth, our own personal chance to make a shift, to breathe in the new air of Spring with its verdant splendour.

An Easter gift basket for us all. I am thrilled and touched that this Bodhisattva of music, this legend who channels the angels has been invited to sing solo from the Duomo of Milano on Easter Day, One Voice, Music For Hope for the world. May peace be with you, may you find a new way of being during this portal, and may it be so!

In keeping with the spirit of the season, this weeks deck is The Angel Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue & Radleigh Valentine with beautiful artwork by Steve A. Roberts.

As the EARTH maintains ‘rest in place’ how fitting that the DIVINATION for today was the Tarot card ‘HIGH PRIESTESS.’ In the I CHING, the Divine Feminine, the wife, and all the feminine aspects – i.e. intuition, inspiration, stability – symbolize EARTH. I found this gorgeous rose on our walk yesterday signifying the earthly gift of beauty and love. The reading speaks to our current state of health, how we need to listen to our inner knowing, and how the state of affairs is still within the realm of the unknown. Deep contemplation is needed now to stay calm, centred and healthy.

We’ve begun to settle into this new routine of detachment from work, friends, even family members, and we are seeing how the planet is healing by our slowdown, how the air is cleaning with blue skies returning, the waters are clearing turning turquoise in colour, the trees, plants and flowers are sprouting happily blown about by the March winds, and the animals are taking back a bit of their territory crossing quiet roads that were once dangerous to their very existence. It seems like MOTHER NATURE is having her way, stopping our inane mindless state of being in the world.

The divination also addresses our constant consummation of everything, especially in the West, how we have pushed our local communities and Gaia to her limits. More, more, more, for what? Just these last few weeks we’ve seen just how ridiculous this has become, with tales of people hoarding food, hand sanitizer, and the unbelievable toilet paper syndrome – thinking of only me, me, me, not thinking of the other, their neighbour. The possibility that someone else might also need to survive through this stressful period, the willingness to share, to think of another, has almost disappeared in our day-to-day dealings.

Here’s a quote from the NY Times on these effects in the Hamptons:

On Long Island, private plane and jet traffic increased at East Hampton Airport, with everything from single-engine Cessnas and Piper Cubs to Gulf Streams and Falcon jets landing.

“We’ve had helicopters, seaplanes, corporate planes,” said Jim Brundige, the airport director. “A little bit of everything.”

Stores there have also been stripped. Some people are even buying extra freezers, residents said.

They want to make sure they have enough for a year,” said Jonathan Amaral, the house manager and chef at a gated estate on Southampton’s Main Street. “The shelves were bare. For us locals and middle class people, that hurts.”

Thankfully we are now hearing some of the good that is being done not only by our courageous health workers, but also by the organized small and large groups taking care of and assisting the elderly, lonely and needy and it seems that the governments of the world are finally taking notice and implementing relief. We’re seeing and sensing the opening of hearts like a good mother who takes care of her children and her family. If this incident is to teach us one thing it is that we are all one family, one globe, one energy system and we need to work together to survive.

The push by our magazines, social media, and especially by Instagram Influencers fighting to be known as the best-dressed, the “must haves” showing the best and most expensive outfits, which by the way were mostly sewn by a near slave worker abroad doesn’t bother us at all – out of sight out of mind. Bigger, better, smarter, richer, prettier – this obsession with More and Beauty – just how much Botox can a woman put in her body or just how much money can one have? In my area, I am hearing of women demanding their hairdressers, their manicurists, and their estheticians come to their homes – who is going to see them?!?

I am a Libra Rising, I adore Beauty and all things beautiful, but there is a limit. What if we used all this energy, power and influence to promote Beauty in other more natural ways? This ‘alone time’ might give us the creativity to come up with some amazing ways to put things back into perspective, to a natural balance – that’s that Libra part speaking!

Our competitive nature, which used to be of the healthy kind, that stimulated invention, an honest good race, and a handshake in the end, has gone over the top into greed, slander, out and out lies, absurd manipulations of truth, and subversion of economic, political and everyday life in our current Neoliberal society. We’ve transferred control of economic factors to the private sector from the public sector with our bail-out of investment bankers, our sell out to drug, oil and large corporations instead of helping and bailing out the average citizen, but the most critical point which many of our young people are now up in arms about, is where we’ve put our environment in radical danger, our Mother in total stress, forgetting that she is the one who feeds us, clothes us, delights us with her natural beauty. How far away from our true nature we have strayed. But we can change this and I believe that we are being given our chance to reflect, to dig deep into the HEART, into that inner Feminine, SHE is a part of all of us, to find new ways to nurture, share and heal together as one family – we only have one MOTHER.

A quote from Grandmaster Hua-Ching Ni (OmNi) on the Trigram EARTH says it succinctly:              

This hexagram expresses the essential process of self-development…these virtues are the essence of KUN and also of the Earth…Too many people struggle to be above, and this has led to all the disturbances and wars in the world.  People never realise that their true significance and worth reside in the very being of their individual lives, and that MOTHER EARTH and the entire UNIVERSE embrace all beings equally. Is there any true advantage in being “above” someone else? If people stopped this useless vanity, there would be no more contention in the world.

Every truthful individual life is like the EARTH, low and receptive, motherly and gentle, giving support to everyone and everything selflessly without discrimination. To be like the EARTH is to be like HEAVEN.”

I am compiling and mixing the meaning from the FENG SHUI TAROT with some classical meanings for this card and adding an interpretation for the TRIGRAM EARTH:

II THE HIGH PRIESTESS: TRIGRAM & DOMINANT ELEMENT – EARTH ~ DIRECTION: SOUTH WEST ~ ASTRO: CANCER, Element of WATER

The HIGH PRIESTESS is the archetype of Feminine Consciousness, intuition and inspiration. Her knowledge resides in the Heart. The number two represents balance. She prompts you to look deeply inside yourselves to cultivate your own wisdom, inner answers and study of nature because if you want the benefits of evolution, you will have to cooperate with spirit.

It is important for the HIGH PRIESTESS to be centred and balanced in her site, enabling the strong foundations for her unbending faith and intuitive knowledge. In keeping with the HIGH PRIESTESS’ sense of aloofness and detachment, the Torah from traditional Tarot cards has been replaced in this image with a symbol more ambiguous – a ceramic pot with vapor, which represents the veiled knowledge of the HIGH PRIESTESS.  

The CORE ASPECT of the card urges the need to be mindful of shared confidences. Your intuition is truly an asset. Follow your feelings to success to more effectively bring your inner spiritual practice to the material world.

Accept nothing at face value, as you don’t have all the information you need to make a decision. Question diagnosis, tests, and physicians – if it doesn’t feel right at gut level. Listen to your body, heed dreams, and be aware of synchronicities that pertain to your health.

CONTEMPLATION: Mystery grows as we proceed; the answer comes when we need. Something is hidden in your life; a mystery or secret eludes you. The answer may be found in your memories or dreams of the past. Rely more on intuition than intellect now.      

DIRECTIVE: Subtle vibrations are working beneath the surface. The whole situation has not yet solidified. Patience will be rewarded.

Things may be slow for a while, but surprise new opportunities may arise. You come up with a new way of doing something that increases your efficiency and saves you time.

You may discover that you are becoming more attuned to your intuitive level as the situation begins to reveal itself to you.

EARTH/KUN/FIELD: the womb that gives birth to all things. This spirit nourishes everything; without it nothing could exist or take shape. Its symbol is EARTH, its action is to yield, serve and bring forth and is reliable and dependable. In the family, it is the mother. As a spirit guide, FIELD opens, yields and closes all things to her. Earth’s’ hands give blessings; she receives the dead.

EARTH describes the wide surface of Earth on which everything grows. It maintains and preserves, promotes exchange and interchange, the central hub of pivot and place of transformation, centring movement and assuring a free flow of thought. Earth is the moment of transition between the YIN and YANG cycles, significant of deep changes, a moment without movement, a centred state of being.

This week’s card speaks firstly to our specialists out in the field. Our wonderful noble doctors, researchers, pharmacists who are working night and day determined and committed to search for a way to stabilize this virus.

These brilliant minds are working and collaborating internationally, sharing data, and rushing to find a vaccine, or just stop the spread especially for our older more vulnerable community and those working in the field. As you will see in the meaning of the divination below, the Aquarians’ value system is constantly prioritizing the people who need them the most.

Secondly, this kind of collaboration is also very prescient within the work of our Governors in the US and I am sure elsewhere in the world, resourcing medical experts advice, and sharing data, acting swiftly, concentrating efforts, personnel and technology and asking for what they need from the Federal Government and suppliers.

Out of the mayhem, may a new, fresh start be created. May we look forward in an equitable balance with nature as we see some of her inhabitants retake spaces we have over-occupied as a human species with our fast cars and boats – such as dolphins swimming in the clear blue waters of the canals of Venice, or while wild turkeys cross the empty roads of Long Island in my sisters’ neighbourhood.

We raised up the bar to meet the isolation head on as some of us have taken to meeting on ZOOM  or other applications that enhance connection, practicing our meditation, our yoga, our Sheng Zhen Qi Gong , listening to the music of the quarantined and participating in conference calls with business associates with children on laps, chatting with friends and family.

For the Italians who inspired it… for the Irish… for ANYONE who this St. Patrick’s day is in a tight spot and still singing. For the doctors, nurses, carers on the front line, it's you we’re singing to.Bono

Posted by U2 on Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Bono released new music this week that he said was “inspired” by the people in Italy

May the highest vision of Aquarian equality and individual freedom, bring and dispense new brilliant visionary knowledge to be shared equally and individually for all.

SIX OF SWORDS: SCIENCE/2nd Decan of Aquarius (The Star) ruled by Mercury (The Magician)

” The perfect balance of all the mental and moral faculties, and almost impossible to hold in an ever-changing world.”

Some of the Sabian Symbol correlations for this Decan are:

Aquarius (10-11): ‘During a silent hour, a man receives a New Inspiration which may change his life”

Aquarius (11-12) ‘On a vast staircase stand people of different types, graduated upward’

Aquarius (18-19): ‘A Forest fire is being subdued by the use of water, chemicals and sheer muscular energy’

We see a very chaotic background with the swords crossed at the centre over a Rosicrucian cross.

This card was originally named, ‘The Lord of Earned Success’ which implies success after struggle. It stands for intellectual clarity learned from difficult experiences; we have grown through tough times, and now have a handle on life and can make intelligent decisions that will benefit all. There is a greater level of awareness to our thinking and actions, which can mean a situation is getting better. There has been something in this situation, which they have not been able to come to grips with but now we have Aquarians, who are often big-picture thinkers and who can see connections in a way that eludes others.

Linked to the Tiphareth in the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life, it brings clear headedness and the powers and discrimination of scientific analysis.

The number six signifies harmony, beauty, love, and reconciliation of opposites, well-being, responsibility and purpose.

Mercury is exalted in Aquarius highlighting innovation, humanitarianism, originality, the intellect, and is detached by nature. They have energy, warmth, and a deep desire to get things done will never accept “good enough”. With Mercury’s ability to analyse will bring a clearer perspective as we move forward. This represents communicating ideas that are new and unconventional in an orderly way.

These Hexagrams always speak for themselves and the message from the TAO today addresses the current goings on in our present crises with health, politics and separation. This is especially apparent under the influence of the Saturn (order and structure) – Pluto (transformational power) combination which represents chaotic challenges of deep, fundamental change to existing systems. This is likely to impose some kind of restriction on our freedom of movement or upon our resources. ~ Robert Hand

The message in our HEXAGRAM is clear, follow the protocol that we have been given by our courageous health leaders and community. Yet, the greater message here is how we can be of benefit to others. If you are not compromised: Do you have elderly neighbours who might benefit from you shopping for essentials for them or making sure that a neighbor or someone who is living alone is well? How about a stressed out mum, who now has the kids home from school and needs a break to just take a shower or a walk to regain her sanity. Or Mums, whose kids have already played together at pre-school – kindergarten – K-12 coming together in small groups of support on line or otherwise. How about being proactive and creating a class online, as my Sheng Zhen group did here in SB, to support each other by promoting healthy exercise, augmenting our chi and coming together in community.

And lets not forget laughter, my friends from around the world are sending me silly and sometimes ridiculous videos and photos but they make me laugh and we all know from past studies that laughter is the best medicine. Last but not least, I believe this is the most important part of the first HEXAGRAM, is your personal self-cultivation, be it mediation, journaling, chanting, etc. as that will not only still the fear and anxiety prevalent in the field but will have an effect on those around you. I am sure that there are many ways we can support each other during this time of self-isolation. Do you have some original ones?

In the second HEXAGRAM 20, I just love how the Sage speaks directly to our current hand washing protocol. What better way than turning the washing of hands into something sacred, a ceremony, taking a breath, focusing in the present moment as bringing Mindfulness and Joy into this new ritual. BTW, my age group was brought up with these healthy everyday routines as a part of life – somewhere along the line of this digital age where we literally touch everything we have forgotten how important this practice is.  

Though, the main message is again self-contemplation, and how perfect to take time in our forced self-isolation to do some major introspection. Looking deeply into what our lives here on the planet actually are meant for and how we are connected to each other, to Gaia, to chi, to the Universal Life Force. Perhaps as this time brings people together in other ways than face to face, we can contemplate and finally come up with a plan to take better care of our home, the EARTH, and all of her inhabitants with loving kindness and care. Be well my friends.

HEX 59: HUAN/DISPERSION

WIND IS ABOVE WATER. Wind belongs to Spring. Wind blowing in all directions causes it to spread in all directions.

UPPER TRIGRAM: SUN/WOOD – symbolizes a boat, which, with the help of the WIND can pass over difficult WATERS. Thus, now is a suitable time to go far away or communicate with people who are at a distance.

If one is guided by clarity and calm, one can successfully avert or correct problems and handle the aftermath of DISPERSION. There may be some worry over losses, so one should be careful. For the most part this HEXAGRAM has a positive outcome.

For example, when ominous clouds gather and create stormy conditions, the WIND comes and blows them away. This is how DISPERSION can break up congestion.

DISPERSION is especially valuable in SELF-CULTIVATION. When one is strongly influenced by desire, ambition or misunderstanding, one must remove the obstruction or there can be no real progress. Once the “frozen ice” is dissolved, joy can be restored.

LINE 2: “He quickly goes to the rescue. Remorse disappears.”

(An incorrect position as it is YANG in a YIN place) Thus, the surrounding YIN lines hinder is moving YANG energy, like a wild horse trapped within a ravine..

The second LINE is unable to help itself; it gathers its energy and helps the first LINE, which is in even greater trouble. Even though one has much strength, it will go to waste if not used to benefit others.

From the COMMENTARY:

DISPERSION occurs when human intelligence exceeds spiritual capability, when a person or a society is unable to function as a whole. Intellectual divergence arises from the different capabilities people have for understanding and knowing things. Arguments and wars breed in the warm bed of DIVERGENCE.

Real peace cannot be achieved until the full capability of knowing is achieved by both the individual and the human race. Meanwhile, tolerance must be cultivated when dealing with differences.

Changes to:

HEXAGRAM 20: KUAN/POINT OF VIEW

WIND is above EARTH. Just as a penetrating WIND pervades everywhere, a good way of life and good teachings influence everyone they touch.

The image of KUAN suggests a physical structure of an altar or temple

GUIDANCE: “Contemplation. After washing the hands and beginning the ceremony, with deep sincerity the officiant centres the mind. The hearts and minds of all participants are drawn to this good example. Likewise, the way of the highly evolved inspires people to revere the divine order of the Universe.”

The two YANG lines at the top of the hexagram represent models of virtue in times when negative forces are pushing forward. …The greater significance of KUAN represents a way of life that is cultivated and guided by constant self-contemplation. Through such introspection, one remains unaffected by the pressures of worldly life and stays attuned to the deepest level of nature, which is the origin of the universal life force. By following worldly trends, one becomes lost in the temptations of the superficial…the hexagram is also concerned with one’s overall view of life, which may be determined by how broad and encompassing one’s understanding is. Even if one has traveled in many countries and lived among many different people, one’s view may still be very narrow.

Today I have used the reference of Hua-Ching Ni a true master, author, teacher and physician who comes from a long lineage of highly achieved Chinese masters.

These amazing images are from Joan Larimore – IChing Artist and are for sale

HEX 24: REVEALING KNOWLEDGE

I have decided to start the week off by doing an I CHING DIVINATION, as it is something that I do for myself regularly, and for my clientele. Each week I will use a different reference source from my library and you will get to sense & feel how the Oracle speaks through various founts of knowledge, different vehicles and reference points over time. I may generalize a bit, taking excerpts to give the overall meaning for the question & the time, and I always allow the Oracle of the original text to do the speaking.

This will be a General Reading for the energies of the week to come. I won’t delve in depth into all the nuances but want you to get the overall meaning of the text. You may find the reading quite interesting as you might find some serendipitous associations, even answers to issues that you have been addressing or are about to address in your private sphere. I love how the Sage and Divine Feminine speak through these different divinatory avenues. Sometimes I feel the Divination has nothing to do with my question and then voila! Clarity arises and the answer was there before I knew that I even needed it. I sincerely hope that you will enjoy these postings as much as I love doing them!

With everything that is going on around us astrologically, internationally, nationally and personally this should be an enlightening reading! HERE ARE THE ENERGIES PREDICTED FOR THE COMING WEEK:

1st throw/pull with Changing Lines 1 & 5:

I sense this first Hexagram is for each of us in a personal manner – you might find otherwise – and the Hexagram, which follows, gives us a view and perhaps a way to deal with what is happening in the present reality regarding health, politics and the turbulence of the world.

HEX 24: REVEALING KNOWLEDGE*

Sun within, Lake without: the season of REVEALING KNOWLEDGE arrives. Success comes to those who come face-to-face with the hidden.

Your vision benefits all: the situation is one in which the future gives up its secrets to the present.

Build your dwelling upon the moment of epiphany: the sacred unmasks itself in the season of REVEALING KNOWLEDGE.

The Hexagram depicts the attitude of remaining alert to the ever-present potential for new discoveries. Together, the symbols mean that you are increasingly aware of the unseen forces at work on the transformation of the visible…Of all the different kinds of discoveries, the most profound are those that present us with a new and more vital sense of the meaningfulness present in our immediate surroundings…

This is a time for cancelling out thoughts of goals or hopes or fears, replacing our preconceptions with a sincere willingness to see the hidden perfection right before our eyes. Rout out any feelings of unworthiness or doubt by purifying the heart of any feelings of envy, resentment or anger, ready it to be filled with feelings of relief, joy and homecoming. Stay vigilant and you will not miss a single opportunity to immerse yourself in the momentous…

Spend time integrating your vision with everyday life, finding its deeper meanings further and further within the details of ordinary experience. Translate your vision into action, responding to all you encounter with growing consistency and congruity, methodically training your thoughts and emotions and words and deeds to reflect the ancient and secret light you keep in your heart.

Look more closely at ordinary everyday events and ask yourself what deeper meaning lies concealed within them. Look at the present as being built upon the hidden past and ask yourself what eternal meanings lie concealed just below the surface of your habits and routines. In the midst of your work, a whole new world opens up to you. Follow your sense of wonder.

LINE CHANGES

1st LINE:  Nature reveals knowledge by analogy – you are attuned to the spirit of the land & sky…you feel more loved by the world every day.

5th LINE: Spirit reveals knowledge by surprise – you are attuned to the spirit of language. From close observation of the way language shapes perception and reaction, you gain insight into and wisdom about the limits of language. Your sensitivity to the world beyond definitions increases every day.

Changes to:

HEXAGRAM 6: FOSTERING SELF-SACRIFICE*

Wind within, Lightening without: the season of FOSTERING SELF-SACRIFICE arrives. Success comes to those who wait for the next opportunity.

Before the web of silk and gold: the situation is one of benefitting others instead of attempting to advance a just cause at the wrong time.

Stay true to your compass heading: the soul practices patience and discernment in the season of FOSTERING SELF-SACRIFICE.

This hexagram represents a time of great change that holds no immediate opportunities for you to advance. The symbols taken together, symbolize the ending of something and a breakdown of customary routines, polarizing people and making them insecure and distrustful…Together, these symbols mean that you wait for the turbulence of the times to calm, neither revealing your intentions nor acting on your decisions.

…There are dramatic fluctuations in gain and loss now and people are unable to guess where fortune and misfortune will strike next. While people may make a show of unity and cooperation, behind the scenes individuals and factions compete fiercely for advantage. Because all sides perceive their motives justified, they resist reconciliation with all their might. In such a climate, it is easy to be swept up in the passions of the moment and dragged back and forth indefinitely…

…One of the ancient’s great teachings is that acting out of self-interest to the detriment of the whole injures all. Because profit brings gain for one at the expense of many and benefit brings gain for many at the expense of one, the logic of benefit is superior to the logic of profit…

Do not be tempted to make a move at this time, as your motive will be called into question and you will become embroiled in conflict and hostility. Wait patiently, hone your skills, and broaden your experience: By not acting prematurely, you will be respected and sought after when the window of opportunity next opens…

In the midst of chaos and confusion, hold firm to your belief in serving others. Focus on the well being of those around you and your needs will be met. Set an example by refusing to worry about things outside your control. Do not try to advance at this time. Be an asset to others. Strengthen your foundation, broaden your alliances. The momentum is against you for a while longer.

THE SOULS’ JOURNEY

The sap of the world tree runs out upon the ground: The trunk may be broken but the roots live on.

*Please note the TOLEC I CHING Hexagrams are different than the KING WEN VERSION. For further reference and illumination, you can check out any source of the KING WEN VERSION of this reading under these Hexagram numbers:

HEX 43: GUAI/DECIDING & PARTING, which turns into HEX 32: HENG/FIXING THE OMEN/PERSEVERING

I would like to extend my gratitude to William Douglas Holden for his momentous work on creating the TOLTEC I CHING and his many other resources for the I Ching and other writings that I have only skimmed the surface of knowing, as I continue to delve into them daily.  He is a mentor from afar. You can find out about him and can purchase his books by tapping his name above.

I would also like to thank the artists, Marlies Holitzka and Klaus Holitzka for creating these amazing images which you will find on the internet. They are beautiful and balanced and thus I share them with you here. You can purchase their cards at Amazon at the link in their names above.

The Galaxy – Best Xmas Lights Ever!

As 2019 draws to a close, I wanted to give you an update on life here on my end of the pond.  While 2019 had its challenges all over the world, it has continued to be a trying year here in many respects somewhat due to the after effects of our biblical events – fires, floods, mudslides & illnesses – which had put the city of Santa Barbara & town of Montecito in PTSD mode. We had a quick scare recently, which triggered that mode again & had many nerves on edge, but the firefighters & rains thoroughly eliminated all danger for the Thanksgiving holidays. There was much gratitude in everyone’s prayers during those holiday meals.

As we come close to the end of this year and epoch, the sense is now, that there’s light beginning to shine in after digging out of the challenges of the past time period, a promise of beginning again & a sense of getting back to basics under all these Capricorn stellium aspects – structure, the skin & bones of the body & things, stability, the state, the empire, the collective – just look at the news and you can see it right before you. With the holiday season, people are now smiling, bustling about shopping, holiday parties have begun, the Post Office has queues out the door, Christmas & Hanukkah lights and decorations seem at an all time high with some over-the-top competition going on.

It has been a year of going within, retreats, a deeply meditative time, which has been incredibly healing for many, and for me personally it has strengthened my resolve to continue my Feng Shui & Re-Design practice, creating beauty & sacred space, my writing & blogs will recommence & I’ll be adding more of a focus on divination and the use of astrology as counseling & mentoring tools, as a means to be of further service to others. 

With the year ending, we passed the Solstice point yesterday, it is still in effect with the Sun (Sol) stationary, standing still (sistere) for 3 days, the darkest night, which is a time of honouring our lessons & accomplishments, thus begins the return to luminosity. Ceremonies are being held across continents in different cultures for this portal. It is an excellent time to reflect on where we have been & where we are going, moving towards a time of opening to new ideas, goals & interesting possibilities. Don’t forget to join by lighting a candle, meditate or say a prayer!

Then for Xmas Day (here in California), we have a New Moon Eclipse in Earth with the Sun & Moon adding to that stellium in Capricorn – it is one packed house! All these points & planets run the gamut from the personal & emotional to the collective, focusing intently on the rules, restrictions, the structures – governmental, societal & familial – construction or deconstruction. Earth eclipses can bring an abrupt turning point, a new start. Yet this eclipse is also a lovely one, bringing sentiments of generosity, abundance, bestowing gifts – how appropriate for Christmas Day. There is so much happening that each one of us will experience this event differently in relation to our natal chart. Awareness is key.

Thus during this holiday season hold those near & dear close to your hearts & in your arms. As 2020 starts the beginning of a new epoch, we have transformative & tumultuous times & changes ahead. Life will not be the same by its end. Hold onto your hats as it is going to be one interesting ride!

Sending you lots of love & light,

Bernadette

For a month now, my eyes have been attracted to all different shades of green in nature, furnishings and homes. Since my return to California perhaps my eyes have been attached to the view of dryness, of the constant reminder of drought, and then the experience of devastating fires, and are now pointing me to signs of rebirth and renewal. One sees it everywhere after the rains, plants and flowers are blooming in full force. I sense a shifting, a change in the air, but know not how or where the shifting will come. The astrology of both the West and the East gives us some clues.

The Chinese Astrology of 2019 is already holding true in this Year of the ‘Earth Mountain Monastic Boar.’ The elements of the year contain weak Yin Earth, with much stronger Yang Wood, which can overpower, drain the soil of sustenance and can even block water channels. This strong Wood is fed by equally strong Water which when mixed with Earth creates mud. Mundanely, we are seeing a lot of that with our recent rains and floods in California. As Wood is also over-abundant in the Pillars of the year it can create too much growth and this can indicate the feeding of Fire to come. We are coming to the end of the Chinese astrological wheel with the Year of the Boar/Pig and a new epic will begin in 2020 so it is a very powerful transition time.

From the Western Astrology perspective, we are also in an end time of huge shifts and currents of change as 2019 will end the decade. We are in the throws of this time of great transformation that has only just begun as the old cycles complete and brand new long term ones begin continuing into 2020. Hold onto your hats!

From this view, it is a year of contradictory trends with opportunities to find balance through very different approaches in separate areas of our lives. We find more of the same elements, starting with lots of Capricorn Earth energy with Saturn, Kronos, Father TIme at home in its own sign accompanied by Pluto, the Great Alchemical Destroyer and the South Node, symbolic of the past and burdens carried until we finally learn the lessons of this life – seems right at home in Cappie. Jupiter will enter there at the end of the year – so we have a very full Earth house!  Think structure, hard work, boundaries and that high mountain to climb to obtain success.

For the Water element, we have Neptune in its own sign of Pisces (2012-2025). In a positive sense, it symbolizes our ability to elevate to a higher level of spiritual consciousness. Neptune is accompanied by Chiron, the Soul Healer. Then the North Node is in Cancer, symbol of the never-ending upward spiral of our future, a new cycle reaching for the highest area of expression in the Water house of Mother Nature, emotions & nourishment. Perhaps we’ll see some amazing new developments in the healing of our planetary waters and new forms of sustainable farming.

The Fire element arrived with Jupiter in Sagittarius representing a new focus on an inspirational search for meaningful growth in our own personal philosophy, in an expanding, bold, active and adventurous manner. With these diverse, different elements and planets, we’ll need to observe and then experience, as things open & close, as life expands and contracts between idealism and realism, structure and free-form fluidity, tolerance and intolerance, the spiritual and material, as 2019 breathes us into a new phase of existence. You can see that the Eastern Astrology corresponds and is quite in alignment to our Western view. No wonder I’m feeling in “pulled, not know mode!”

Back to gorgeous green and its symbolism of growth, vitality, renewal, healing, prosperity, and birth. Doesn’t that sound like SPRING to you?! In Feng Shui and Traditional Chinese Medicine, green is the colour of Wood and its season is Spring. It represents a time of growth, movement, development & planning. Hmmm, now you know why we all do our Liver and Gallbladder cleansing with bitter greens during this time of year as it relates to those organs.. Wood is strong, yet flexible and bends with the Wind when in balance. If someone is youthful, upright, flexible yet strong, and persevering, fearless and adventurous you’ll know you’ve encountered a Wood person. Wood is nourished by Water and feeds the Fire in the cycle of elements. In the BaGua, Wood is located in the Family gua, seat of Zhen – Thunder – Shock. Thunders’ role is to arouse & awaken. Think how our families assist us, often through strong means, in the development of our innate abilities, giving us the strength to break through life’s’ obstacles.

The Białowieża Forest: Poland & Belarus – Europe’s last old-growth forest

The Spring Equinox is our reboot, our beginning of the wheel for the year. This year there is lots of turbulence on the outer realm, yet we can balance this with inner stillness, meditation, cultivating our Heartspace. I can think of nothing more soothing than the practice of Shinrin-yoku forest bathing. Shinrin means “forest” in Japanese and yoku translates as “bath.” This practice studied by the Japanese government since the 1980s has been proven to lower heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormone production while boosting the immune system and overall feelings of well-being. Forest bathing is just basically being in the trees, being in the silence of GREEN WOOD chi without any aim or having any technology turned on for at least 30 minutes, but two hours is recommended and a weekend would be sublime. The key to unlocking the power of the forest is in using all of the five senses and one is advised to breathe – relax – wonder – wander – touch – listen – heal. Basically, it is being mindful in the forest and the trees. There is nothing more glorious than being in a cathedral, a stand of a huge, ancient forest.

Food for Soul
https://www.foodforsoul.it/

Could your Wood be out of balance? If you are feeling out of whack, off-kilter and can’t get to trees or a forest, try adding green to your clothing choices, add some greenery, green colours (also blue & purple) and rectangular design details to your environment, or a Forest desksaver on your laptop, all will help absorb and redirect chi. Water elements placed in the proper area on your property and in your home will augment your Wood if it is depleted. A Green kitchen while soothing also feeds the Fire of the stove, nourishing family Health & Wealth. Doing one good thing a day for another will help you heal and focus elsewhere. Inhaling some wonderful Wood aromatherapy like cypress essential oil in a vaporizer can also be used as a Wood/Water element. Please make sure you use natural sourced essential oils and not synthetics or you will be defeating the purpose. Listening to Forest Meditations or Heart Chakra Meditationhttps://www.youtube.com will bring tranquility, and adding healthy greens to your nourishment choices will feed your chi – any and all of the above will be immensely helpful. You will thank me and yourself if you do.

In alchemy, nigredo, or blackness, means putrefaction or decomposition. Many alchemists believed that as a first step in the pathway to the philosopher’s stone, all alchemical ingredients had to be cleansed and cooked extensively to a uniform black matter. ~ Wikipedia

As we entered the Scorpionic waters of the season and continue our descent into the darkness of winter, transformation is upon us especially with Venus, Goddess of Love & Relationship being retrograde here. No superficiality allowed, we are delving deep into past connections, ancestral, sexual and relational, releasing and dissolving old outworn imbalances and patterns of intimacy and dysfunction that no longer work. Within the blackness of alchemy, think of rich, deep dark soil which has been turned, digested and when composted and cooked eventually nourishes  new life, new growth, once we return to the light.

In archetypal terms many of us know the tale, as Venus’s retrograde of 40 days symbolizes young Persephone, Goddess of Spring, in her descent, being tested, having suffered and been stripped naked. Reflect on other tests of 40 days and nights and you’ll get an idea, tales of Inanna, the Buddha and biblical ones for example. She is also in tension with Mars, the God of war and conflict. He represents for me two connections here, her father, Zeus, giving her away to her brother, Hades, God of the Underworld, in marriage without consulting either her or her mother and thus the disaster begins or perhaps it was her choice? Eventually, she passes all tests with marvelous assistance (you will have to look up the rest of the story), and becomes Goddess & Queen of the Underworld with a price after having partaken of the deep, red pomegranate, another symbol of this Scorpio time frame. Her price was having to descend for half of the year into the domain of her husband/brother Hades, our Winter season, and then she emerges in her strength as an actualized, empowered woman, reuniting with her mother, Ceres, Goddess of Agriculture in the Spring.

Here all things of a Venusian nature are touched; secrets come to the surface – ancestral, sexual, intimate, aesthetic and financial as well as personal values – things we didn’t want to deal with come out of the blue but really from the deep nigredo black (don’t even talk about the news, just notice the correlations).

In astrology, this fourth quarter of the year is full of movement with two major slow planets changing signs, Uranus, the “Awakener,” catalyst and wildcard, with Jupiter, King of the Gods, God of Light, expansion, sky and weather – think “thunderbolt,” in Scorpio makes the gates to the underworld easier to access helping our Persephone traverse the dark, along with Mars, the loosely tethered adolescent male, like a “rebel without a cause”, and finally the North Node moving into Cancer. With very little effort, things can change on a dime, flip from down to being up, full to being empty and vice versa.

This reminds me of one of our adjustments with the Hexagrams but more on that another time. It is a six Metal Month of the Dog which is about authority, obstinacy, persistence, and conflicts, a Dog Month in a Dog Year! Dogs don’t let go, just think of our President who is a Dog, power that will not release its privilege, that has passed its due date, male-domination that doesn’t realize its fragility, or that it is time to abdicate. This all ties in with the Western astrology above. Don’t you love how all these separate paths from different worlds flow together?

Everything is cyclical, seasonal, for instance look back 8 years to 2010 or even 16 years to 2002, you may find a similar transformative issue that has come to the forefront regarding relationships, sexuality or finance, or a culmination of that earlier cycle as Venus is in the same area of the sky now in the murky waters of Scorpio preparing the compost for the new beginnings of Spring 2019.

I recommend a good space-clearing with sage or tobacco and before that clearing some or a lot of clutter out of your purview. Dream-journaling is highly beneficial as you can access the subconscious with greater awareness in this space of the diaphanous veils between the worlds.

 

Sometimes you just have to let your own ideas slide when you come upon something or someone so fabulous that it stops you in your tracks. The work of this multi-talented & multidisciplinary UK artist is one of those. Luke Jerram’s works go into my category of “J’ADORE’ – and this particular work ties so beautifully into the GATE OF THE MOON. It is called the Museum of the Moon, but this piece is really a MOON TEMPLE in and of itself, as shown below here in this video placed in the Great Hall with its special blue lighting, just watch as you enter into the womb of the installation. All these images speak for themselves.

The fact that Bristol, UK was the inspiration with its enormous high and low tides – 13 feet difference at times – brings the feminine directly into play. It ties into the Moon and her myths, her cycles, how they affect the earth and each one of us, tying into our emotions, our bodies, and especially the women, as we are directly affected by her within our own Moon cycles.

We have just passed the Equinox, day of equal light and dark, and have entered into our Autumn season here above the equator as well as just experiencing a gorgeous Full Moon the following day – very potent tidings. Why not start taking note of the Moon and her cycles and see how it affects your moods, and your body. Keep a journal, take note, or make art. Getting in touch with seasons, luminaries, planets, flowers, and things outside of our own little universe can make for powerful teaching and awakening. I know I was feeling funkier than usual, and I tapped inside with my meditations, and checked and looked at my chart and this Moon was definitely contacting my astrology and my psyche.

This installation is now traveling the globe – how fitting as the Moon, herself travels around us. It will be interesting to see how each site affects the participants. Check here  to see if it is coming to a city near you.

Next time you see the ocean and her tides think of how everyone, everywhere on this magnificent globe of ours is seeing another tide in another place and another way and yet we are all connected. Ending with another piece by Luke Jerram of our wonderful GAIA, MOTHER EARTH reminding us to take note of our seasonal changes here and what they bring and how we are one beautiful connected living being. How fitting that you see the Moon and the Earth together in their unified field. Remember to get in touch within and keep in touch and let me know how your perusing goes.

Image: Ocean Pavilion by Luke Jerram

Videos: Luke Jerram