FROM SELF EMPOWERMENT TO PROTECTION AND MANIFESTATION

© 2016 - Reprinted with permission from Shining Lotus Metaphysical Bookstore newsletter September 2016

by Mario C. Veo

Life happens... and with it are all the tears/pain/offenses... and yes, also the many smiles, the joyful laughter, and perhaps even a little 'love'.

In the end whichever Energy was strongest is the one that will shape you and your Life... except for those cutting Heart Wounds which have managed to bury themselves deep within you!

Now you are 'leaking Life'... and no matter how hard you try, or how deserving you've become, you still struggle to achieve your deepest desires...

 Here it is easy to give in, to change and become a 'distortion' of your True Self - to see Love becoming dismissed as a 'romantic notion', Inner Peace as something talked about in Asian Scriptures(but that really has no place in your real world), politics as serving Special Interest Groups, and those in Authority wallowing in corruption... not a pretty picture, but unfortunately a very real Dark Energy which surrounds our whole planet.

So what are you to do... yes, you who is committed to Spiritual Growth, who still embraces the Qualities of Compassion, Understanding, and strives to find the Brotherhood of Man.
Do you allow this corrosive environment to twist into a better version of yourself... or to turn your back to all this infantile behavior and become a hermit...or seek shelter in a monastery(hey, I tried that so often in my past lives... I can tell you the food isn't very good, and they have no chocolate...!... well, so much for 'the Food of the Gods').
...but if you do nothing then what happens to you...?

As you grow Spiritually, your Vibration becomes more 'pure', more refined... and now this precious Self Image becomes bright and radiant with Loving Energies... and at this point you need to be more aware of Who and What you surround yourself with, for many will be jealous, and even angry, at your success... and if you blindly and innocently just go about your life, then all you have achieved may be brutally shattered by their negative, corrupting Energies.

So what can you do about all this? Well, there are Shields and Filters and Higher Spiritual Practices... there is your personal Evolution, your clarity and sensitivity. Ultimately it all comes back to Choices... for you are not some powerless simpleton who is easily swayed by all that is shiny and glittering...

No, you are a powerful Force in your own Right... if only you'd claim it.

This month's classes are dedicated to you honoring your own gifts and power... to awakening a Higher Radiance within, and to show you how to empower yourself to create the very best, most rewarding Life ever... (after all, the best 'revenge' IS success!).

Mario C. Veo is a teacher of Spiritual Science and a Healing Arts Practitioner. He teaches classes and individuals on Personal Transformation and the Expansion of Consciousness. Mario is available for personal guidance and consultations on Tuesday afternoons at the Shining Lotus™ Bookstore.

PLANETS & POSSIBILITIES: A LOOK AT THE ASTROLOGY OF SEPTEMBER 2016

© 2016 - Reprinted with permission from Shining Lotus Metaphysical Bookstore newsletter September 2016

by Sally Shotwell

September offers us several opportunities to reconcile important issues which have arisen in our lives during the recent purging we've experienced. The contradictory aspects of ourselves which temperamental Mars has dug up from our unconscious may actually become resources, if we play our cards right. This means that we need to put ourselves in the loving care of the earthy, discerning and practical influence of Virgo. This sign is ruled by mental Mercury and its symbol is the self-contained Harvest Maiden whose commitment to serving others is not diluted by the pressure of outside influences. If we also become discriminating in what thoughts we hold dear and focus on the real, rather than the glamorous and illusory, much that appears to be in conflict with our values and beliefs may be integrated. Two eclipses, which always bode some shift in our circumstances, take place during the first of the month, encouraging us to assume our objective mode to grow through these inevitable changes.

The first one, the New Moon(new beginnings) Solar Eclipse in Virgo, takes place September 1. The Sun(our consciousness), the Moon(our unconscious), Mercury(our thought processes) and Jupiter(our optimism) are all in earth Virgo, opposite dreamy Neptune in transcendent, watery Pisces. The Sabian message is: "Two heads looking out and beyond the shadows; the growth of true understanding, born out of the transcendence of duality even while immersed in the world of duality." We live in a chaotic world but this doesn't prevent us from finding peace within ourselves if we work at it, challenging as it may be!
Are we pausing to give ourselves time for introspection?

September 9 expansive Jupiter enters the sign of relationships, airy Libra. Beautiful Venus is its ruler and she's on hand to welcome him warmly. With this combination we should e ready to extend our efforts in partnership-driven area of our life.
Are we feeling comfortable in expanding our circle of friends?
Do we want to deepen our involvement with someone already in our life?

September 10 we experience the final official duel(of three) between Saturn and Neptune. They are both committed to expanding our spirituality but approach the subject in very different ways. Reality-based Saturn in fiery Sagittarius has taken a dim view of other-worldly Neptune in Pisces' insistence on the transcendent. With synergy these two disparate approaches bridge their differences allowing us to benefit from the truths they offer us. Here's where our acuity of thought and clear vision direct us as we venture forth.
Are we separating the wheat from the chaff?

September 12 our reasoning ability is given a boost as Mercury gets chummy with the brilliant Sun. Even though he's still going backward, he is wise and reminds us to review and check details in all our involvements. This includes care in arriving at any decisions during Eclipse Season when focus is our best friend.

September 16 the Full Moon(culmination) Lunar Eclipse in Pisces challenges our emotional sensitivity. Here again we have the Sun involved with a Pisces-influenced aspect, this time the Moon, which has a tendency to create a mental fog. We're fortunate that we're in the process of releasing unfounded doubts and not swayed by superfluous pressure. The Symbol indicates the dilemma is universal and we are being guided toward clarity. "A religious organization succeeds in overcoming the corrupting influences of perverted practices and materialized ideals; the power of the Soul to intervene in the personal life and induce necessary catharses." We are not being abandoned to the mundane.

September 21 Mercury goes forward preparing us for the very big event of the 22nd. It's the Autumnal Equinox when the Sun enters Libra activating a time in the yearly cycle which is celebrated across the Northern Hemisphere with gatherings where people give thanks for the gifts of the harvest. Equinox means 'equal night' and ushers in a time when our energy become more directed inward as the days become shorter.

September 26 lovely Venus enters intense, watery Scorpio. Adding to the mix is Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, turning direct in somber, earthy Capricorn September 26. He and communicative Mercury have been in close touch since the 21st and we can't help but wonder what they're cooking up. Mars(our vitality) enters Capricorn on the 27th which ups the energy level.
Are we continuing our centering programs?
Are we limiting our exposure to sensational stimulation?

September 30 the New Moon in Libra is warmly welcomed by recent arrival Jupiter. The Symbol for the second New Moon this month is: "Three 'Old Masters' hanging on a wall of a special room in an art gallery. The need to return to source during a confused search for new value in a chaotic society." Our efforts are not in vain as we strive to live authentically. Let's be gentle with ourselves as we forge ahead!

Blessings!

Sally Shotwell is a life-long student of esoteric spirituality with an undying thirst for knowledge. Her focus on studies in Astrology have spanned decades, and have included studying with Mario C. Veo, John Joseph, Mark Husson and C. A. Brooks.