PARADISE LOST… OR, A TALE OF ANCIENT WARNING

© 2017 - Reprinted with permission from Shining Lotus Metaphysical Bookstore newsletter June 2017

by Mario C. Veo

Long, long ago, well before the birth of Mankind this Earth was a glorious planet filled with grace and beauty, with peaceful Beings who walked freely amongst Gods and Goddesses, in friendship and respect. It was an idyllic time, a time of great wisdom, of open laughter and joyful playfulness, of abundance and nobility … indeed, my friend, it was a sacred time … Oh, we knew not what we had, nor how much of it we took for granted.

Strife was not known, nor war nor conflict, for nurturance was the rule, and Love its minister … and all was good, for everyone lived as was proper – in dignity and respect, valued for their offerings.

Until one dark day a strange hominid walked in  –  strange indeed he looked, with tufts of unruly hair and an attitude to match, strident of voice his rhetoric a raucous braying to our ears.

He capered forth, prancing around in his stolen finery, mocking even the most gentle of creatures, calling them ’slaves’ [a term we knew not of meaning]. He derided even the holiest tenets of peace and wisdom, claiming them to be ’fake’ … and loudly proclaimed them to be the ’tools of tyranny’ and magnanimously promised us liberation …

“Liberation from what …?” many asked … “Why – liberation from this stagnant Life … Don’t you see how the Gods have led you astray all this time …!?  How you’ve been manipulated with all these riches and abundance …!?  It’s time to stand together, firm against this ‘Egalitarian Rule’  [such a dirty word !]  and once again reclaim our rightful place as the New Leaders … for we usher in a grand New Beginning … !!”

Ah, the foolishness of our benevolent Leaders who thought this simply the outplay of an immature mind … “Let him be” they said, “He’ll soon grow up and see the nature of his mistake” … “All this will come to pass … It’s simply an uncouth youth, blowing off some steam” … “He’s harmless” many claimed …

Alas, that such gentle thoughts did not deserve such rude awakening …

You see, the masses were too easily swayed by his bombastic cant … Oh, so easily led by his crude attitude … and how they laughed when, one by one, the Gods and Goddesses left … and how they threw stones and other offal when the gentle Beings departed … and how they built strong walls to keep the rest of us in … “For our own safety” they claimed …. but now we know better, for he has taught us the meaning of the word ‘slave’, and we’re treated as such.

And there he stands, in what once was our most sacred temple, prancing around in coarse attire, with peacocks in front and war-elephants behind, loudly heralding “the New Age has begun … Rejoice for the New Dawn is here …”  and his cronies nod their heads, even as we hide our tears, for truly we’ve lost Paradise … and for what …? … this …?!?

It’s too late for us, my friend, but for you, who’s reading this – count your blessings well, and hold them fiercely to your bosom  –  do not let the prancing fools take them away from you, for Love and Peace are the only Truth there is … and beware, beware the war-elephants …

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 Tuesdays and the last Sunday of the month at the Shining Lotus™ Bookstore.

PLANETS AND POSSIBILITIES: A LOOK AT THE ASTROLOGY OF JUNE 2017

© 2017 - Reprinted with permission from Shining Lotus Metaphysical Bookstore newsletter June 2017

by Sally Shotwell

We begin the month with the Sun (our consciousness) in airy, versatile Gemini offering us encouragement as we expand our avenues of communication and intellectual pursuits. There’s more to the story though since this sign’s symbol is The Twins, one mortal while the other is immortal. Their predicament is to transcend this duality and we have a similar challenge to reconcile our human nature which allows us to function in the physical world while we long to unite with something greater than ourselves. Here’s where Mercury, Messenger of the Gods, comes in to guide us in our quest to understand and connect the information we need to resolve this division. This can prove tricky, however, since he is so intellectually inclined  that sometimes  access to our emotional/feeling nature is short circuited. We need to guard against this since important relationships depend on our empathy. Fortunately, he is now in earthy Taurus which is ruled by loving, sensation-oriented Venus who softens our responses and reveals to us opportunities beyond the mental.

Are we pausing during the day to consciously filter out the detritus which can distort of perceptions?

Do we remind ourselves that no one is perfect and we need to treat ourselves gently as  we adjust to unexpected demands placed upon us?

June 3 Venus, Goddess of Love, Beauty and Money, gets chummy with unpredictable Uranus in fiery Aries which should perk up our interactions while expansive Jupiter in airy Libra(also ruled by Venus)  contacts the Sun to instigate a spectacular situation which bodes well for our successfully branching our to new social possibilities.  Let’s take advantage of the offered largesse and get out and about, relishing the bloom of Springtime since Summer, and another energy arrives June 21.

June 4 assertive Mars moves into cardinal, watery Cancer.  He brings with him a determination to assist us in preparing for Cancer Season, leading us to focus on how we employ our nurturing tendencies to establish security for ourselves and our loved ones.  This influence is helpful for it trumps the foggy atmosphere which the Sun and dreamy Neptune in watery Pisces form. We don’t want to be distracted and drift off, ignoring the reality surrounding us.

June 6 is a big day since Venus finally leaves Aries and moves into her comfort zone in Taurus as  Mercury heads home to Gemini where he’s in his element.  This bodes well for us since they are happy and want to plant seeds to enhance what we value.  Let’s figure out what goals we hold dear and initiate plans to improve our financial situation, feelings of self-worth and new intellectual endeavors if they resonate with us.

Are we honoring our physical well being with loving care?

Are we stimulating or minds, venturing into new, uncharted territory?

June 9 is the Full Moon (culmination) in fiery, belief-oriented Sagittarius opposite the Gemini Sun, is challenging us to successfully adapt to the tumultuous technological society which is changing all the rules of the game. The Sabian Symbol states  

“Pelicans menaced by the behavior and refuse of men seek safer areas for bringing up their young: The need for people concerned with the future to discover a new way of living and more wholesome surroundings.” Parent pelicans are associated with the instinct to sacrifice oneself to protect their young.  We’re not being asked to follow suit but to remain aware of what is going on around us. This  prevents us from succumbing to an alienated existence  and authentic relationships are what keep us engages.  Optimistic  Jupiter goes forward fueling our commitment to remaining flexible as our path unfolds before us and Venus and Mars hang out together exuding a positive domestic vibration.   We need to allow ourselves  some downtime to relax and enjoy ourselves.

June 13 Mercury makes his presence felt by making friends with Jupiter reminding us again to expand our thinking. He  then puts on his Trickster  guise and could lead us astray as he toys with nebulous Neptune who has a  penchant for falling for false ideas.  June 16 Neptune goes retrograde (until Nov. 23) which suggests that we may now begin to be blessed with a greater clarity as we navigate our inner world.  Time will tell.

June 20 the Sun enters Moon-ruled Cancer which means that the Summer Solstice is here and we celebrate the longest day of the year. When we’re in Cancer territory we are in the midst of all things related to Mother which affects our emotions on many levels so let’s not be surprised about our increased sensitivity. Mercury is busy as we transition into a new season and keeps us from  melting into a puddle of vulnerability. On the 18th he dialogues with serious Saturn before entering Cancer the 21. Positioned here he helps us tune in to our emotional intelligence which may manifest in our desire to amp up our nurturing skills.  Let’s just make sure the people we zero in on actually welcome our attention.

June 23 is the New Moon (new beginnings) in Cancer and the Symbol’s message is

“A man bundled in fur leads a shaggy deer:  The need to overcome stagnation and ‘cold’ during trial of endurance.” During this tumultuous time we can be reassured that we have support in resisting any tendency we may have to surrender to stagnation. A good example of this is the presence of Mercury and Mars sharing their commitment to help us activate our Will as we take care of business. The 24th Venus and evolutionary Pluto in earthy Capricorn set the stage by elucidating the means by which we can embrace transformation. Mars and Jupiter chime in admonishing us to use moderation as we venture forth.

June 27 through the 29th Mercury continues to cover a lot of ground as he touches base with Jupiter, Neptune, Mars and finally Pluto. Whenever Pluto is in the mix, we know a power struggle is likely to be in the works but we don’t have to  get hooked into any unpleasantness which could ensue. If we remain calm there’s a great possibility that  a profound psychological breakthrough in store for us. Let’s keep our Rescue Remedy handy, deep breathe and congratulate ourselves for maintaining  our aplomb!

Happy Summer and Blessings!

Sally Shotwell is a life-long student of esoteric spirituality whose focus on studies in Astrology have spanned decades. She has entertained and informed our readers with her articles for a few years now.